MR attends "Alexander MacKenzie High School" in Richmond Hill Sept. (claims to graduate - only earned one credit) (http://www.thestar.com/article/638574)
TLM alleges she was molested at age 4-5 (http://www.thestar.com/news/ontario/article/638603)
Adoptive Father Rob McC says 'Goodbye' to TLM in court at age 6-7. Continues to pay child support. (http://www.thestar.com/News/GTA/article/637404)
February '96

February 24

RS (20) and TM (17) Get Married (http://lfpress.ca/newsstand/News/Local/2009/05/19/9495611-sun.html)
--------

MR Lives in Guelph (http://edmonton.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20090520/stafford_arrest_090520/20090520/?hub=EdmontonHome)
MR Works as Landscaper in Guelph until Late 2007 (http://www.edmontonsun.com/news/canada/2009/05/22/9532181-sun.html)
Carol McC & TLM Move Back to Woodstock (http://www.thestar.com/News/GTA/article/637404)
TM First Goes to Meth Clinic (http://woodstocksentinelreview.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1570145)
-----
2007
December

10:01 a.m. - MR writes on his FaceBook - Everything Good Is Coming My Way (http://toronto.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20090520/stafford_arrest_090520/20090520?hub=Toronto)
12:00 p.m. - TM says that she visited her Gpa 'Poppa' at Cressant Care
1:38 - TLM's FB activity shows request to exchange phone number - 'disconnected, gimme ur digits - fo rea'
3:25 - school dismissed
3:32 - Tori seen on video northbound on Fyfe with perp
3:32 or 3:33 - Esso Station Video Showing Rafferty's Car
3:45 OR 4:15 - Daryn home (Both times per TM - This shifts the rest of the time line accordingly)
4:00/4:15 - 4:30 - TM, LW & DS drive around looking for Tori
4:30 TM is dropped off so she can call friends - LW continues to drive around searching
5:21 TM calls LW and tells her to go to Police station
Unknown time - RS calls TM 'will be late picking Tori up'
. TM replies, "Tori isn't home yet. Hope she isn't missing"
6:06 - Missing report filed - The OCPS began its investigation after receiving the initial report
6:30 - Rodney is called to inform him that Tori is missing.
(from 570 news radio interview)
7:30 p.m. - Police begin search for Tori
Early evening - Officer Maitland states MT's car was said to be seen by people at Home Depot Plaza in Guelph with Suspects & Tori in the Car (http://www.680news.com/news/more.jsp?content=20090523_093925_1588)
9:00 - LE Views Video from Esso - Suspect Car there minutes after abduction
(http://www.thestar.com/news/ontario/article/640348)
April 9

Acquantance of TLM reports to LE that they'd given TLM a puffy, white jacket and has concerns about the video (http://lfpress.ca/newsstand/News/Local/2009/05/23/9544741-sun.html)
TLM hands out Tori Is Missing flyers
4:02 - TLM FB activity - shows another discussion re: exchanging phone numbers 'i`ll give u my digz when i get back 2 OTT.'
April 11

Volunteers accompany police in a second day of searching for Tori. (http://toronto.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20090520/tori_timeline_090520/20090520/?hub=TorontoNewHome)
Candlelight Vigil for Tori
April 12

Police End Ground Search
Enhanced Video released (http://toronto.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20090520/perry_tori_090520/20090520/?hub=TorontoNewHome)
April 14

Police Defend Not Issuing Amber Alert
April 15

TM Expresses that Tori's Disappearance Should be Treated as Abduction
TM states she 'has not done drugs since high school'
News comes out about James Goris 3rd Appearance in Court regarding Theft under $5,000 charge
April 16

RS Makes Another Plea for Tori's Release (http://www.oxfordreview.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1555633)
TM Absent from Press Conference for the 1st Time (http://www.oxfordreview.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1555633)
Police Search Door-to-door Again in Woodstock (http://thechronicleherald.ca/Canada/9011730.html)
May 6

Police release Photos of Suspect MR's Vehicle (http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2009/05/23/stafford-search.html) (believed to have been in vicinity of Guelph Home Depot April 8th)
Carol M., TLM's adoptive Mother, says TLM met Tori through the dogs (http://www.thestar.com/news/ontario/article/638603). Tori talked to TLM about one of Carol's dogs, Precious
Carol states she met TM & JG perviously when they wanted to breed their dog. (http://www.thestar.com/news/ontario/article/638603)
TM Doesn't Think TLM Will be of any 'Help' (http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2009/05/22/police-search-tori459.html)
TM:"Just remember her because she was the prettiest, most beautiful little girl in the world." (http://www.torontosun.com/news/canada/2009/05/23/9544191-sun.html)
Former Addicts/Dealers Discuss OXY Trade & Use in Woodstock (http://www.thestar.com/news/ontario/article/639199)
May 23 (Day 4 of Remains Search)

LE Inspect Car Seat Found in Kitchener - Sent to Tillsonburg for OPP Forensic Testing (http://toronto.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20090525/stafford_search_090525/20090525?hub=Toronto)
McClintic no longer assisting with the search.
LE Search Bellwood & Guelph Lakes with Sonar (http://toronto.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20090525/stafford_search_090525/20090525?hub=Toronto)
RS States That He Feels Tori Was Targeted For Abduction (http://www.570news.com/news/national/more.jsp?content=n211882319)
Tori's accused killer on suicide watch in Elgin-Middlesex Detention Center (http://news.guelphmercury.com/News/article/486208)
May 26

Report: LE Views Video from Esso on April 8th - Suspect Car there minutes after abduction (http://www.thestar.com/news/ontario/article/640348)
MR Exercising His Right to Remain Silent (http://news.aol.ca/article/police-review-amber-alert-system-amid-criticism-of-handling-of-tori-stafford-case/632422/)
May 28

Saying goodbye to Tori
Published - Jul 24th, 2009
<snipped>
No life should end this way, let alone the life of a child.
Abandoned in a field, far from loved ones, left to decompose without a proper burial.

Yet, such was the fate of young Tori Stafford.

It is hard to reconcile this end to the pictures we have seen of Tori, the pictures used in the hopes of finding her, before hope ran out.

Every picture shows a smiling, mischievous face. Tori was likely similar to every other eight-year-old girl of her age — she probably listened to her parents some of the time, and tried to get her own way the rest of the time.

She probably wanted to have all the latest toys and gadgets, and giggled with her girlfriends.

She was like every other little girl we know, except for this one, terrible fact. She was never given the chance to grow up. She died horribly and was taken far from her home.

We don’t know what to make of stories like this one. All parents wonder how to protect their children, how to keep them safe, without creating such an atmosphere of fear that our children are unable to enjoy being children.

In the case of Tori, the only hope that can come out of this is that her tragic death will serve as a sober reminder to the rest of us of our solemn duty to protect the children in this world from harm.

The sad thing is, of course, that there never is a way to protect our children from all harm. Bad things happen — or bad people happen to good children.

But if we do what we can, if we remember Tori every single day, perhaps we can prevent another tragic death.

In the meantime, all we can do is say a prayer for Tori and her family, and remember her.

Rest in peace, little girl.

Article:
http://www.elmiraindependent.com/news.php?id=1672
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
100 days of private h***
August 26, 2009
<snipped>
The top story on John Walsh's "America's Most Wanted" website this week was that of Victoria "Tori" Stafford, the eight-year- old who was abducted from outside the Oliver Stephens Public School in Woodstock, Ontario, on April 8, 2009.

Captioned above a picture of Tori were the words "Cops Con-firm That Child's Remains Are Tori's," then superimposed on her picture the word every parent whose child has been abducted dreads to hear -the word "deceased."

It's been a prolonged nightmare for her Mom and Dad and the many who loved Tori, a horrid nightmare that began four days before Easter Sunday and ended 102 days later on July 19, 2009.

No columnist writing about this tragedy can capture the intensity of the anguish experienced by her parents, Tara McDonald and Rodney Stafford. It must be inexplicably painful, one must feel that one's heart has literally been ripped out, crushed beyond measure.

Speaking from the personal trauma of losing his own son, John Walsh says, "Adam's abduction was our private hell." And 'hell' indeed it is, every year here in this nation for many parents whose children go missing.

According to the RCMP's latest statistics 60,582 children went missing in Canada in 2007. Of that staggering amount, more than 46,000 were runaways, most found within 72 hours of their disappearance.

As the hearse containing the remains of Victoria Stafford was driven from the dirt road where they were found, police officers stood at attention with accompanying salute. It was a poignant moment, a little girl's body, and a little girl, being silently dignified by those who had combed every inch of ground to find her.

It was for her parents, Tara and Rodney, "closure" of a sort, never to have found her brings no finality to this trauma, yet, as John Walsh of "America's Most Wanted" is so perceptive to note, "Everybody uses this word (closure) and banters it around....I don't have any closure and most parents of murdered children or crime victims don't really have closure, because your life is changed forever by that event."

And life is changed forever. Walsh, following the abduction and murder of his own son, would launch "America's Most Wanted," and turn his personal pain into a pulpit.

Hopefully Tara and Rodney can do the same, and facilitate the healing process in their own lives.

For those of you who are parents of tiny tots and children, the Tori Stafford abduction and murder begs a question of you: "Have you 'street-proofed' your kids?" Have you carefully indoctrinated them with sufficient street smarts that will keep them safe when they are out of your sight? If not, do it right away! Get some help from Child Find Ontario or some other child-friendly agency.

Today, Saturday, there will be a memorial service for the cute little eight-year-old. She went to school on Wednesday, April 8 with her Hanna Montana T-shirt and her purple "Bratz" bag. She was only eight folks, that's all.

Let justice flow down like a mighty river !

Article:
http://www.thedailyobserver.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1672607
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Family set to say goodbye
July 30, 2009
<snipped>
Sixteen weeks after she was cruelly stolen from a Woodstock street, Victoria "Tori" Stafford has now come home.

The eight-year-old's remains were finally returned to her grieving family this week from Toronto's Centre for Forensic Sciences, marking the end to the saddest chapter in this heart-wrenching story.

"We have been able to return Victoria back home for a (private) funeral," acting Oxford Community Police Service Chief Rod Freeman confirmed Wednesday. "We're happy she's back home. I've talked to the family, who are relieved they can put her to rest with dignity."

But Tori's sad homecoming is far from the end of the police investigation, which Freeman promised would continue in earnest for some time. Officers with this joint OPP-OCPS investigation were still combing the rural area near Mount Forest where an OPP detective discovered Tori's remains on July 19.

"They are still working up in the Mount Forest area," Freeman said. "It won't be for much longer."

Freeman said that pathologists at the Centre for Forensic Sciences were still examining recovered evidence in preparation for the upcoming trials of the two Woodstonians accused of Tori's kidnap and murder. While the police would still be at the forefront of the investigation for weeks to come -- Freeman estimated that OCPS officers would still part of the "core investigation" until the late fall -- the acting chief said the case was fast approaching the point where Oxford's Crown attorney's office would be taking the lead.

"The task force is still shouldering the lion's share of the investigation right now," he said, "but we're certainly a lot closer to that point now than we were just a few weeks ago."

Freeman indicated that investigators were already working closely with the Crown attorney's office to prepare the cases against 28-year-old Michael Rafferty and 19-year-old Terri-Lynne McClintic. With several prosecutors working full time on the two trials, including Oxford Crown attorney Brian Crockett, assistant Crown attorney Michael Carnegie and London-based Crown attorney Geoff Beasley, Freeman suggested there was an "unprecedented working relationship" between the Crown's office and the task force.

Tori disappeared on April 8 shortly after leaving Oliver Stephens Public School at 3:30 p.m., sparking a massive police operation that involved more than 100 OPP and OCPS officers. While the initial investigation culminated in the May 19 arrests of McClintic and 28-year-old Michael Rafferty for Tori's kidnap and murder, police continued to comb the countryside around Guelph for the little girl's remains.

Investigators are continuing their search for the rear grey cloth-covered seat from the 2003 Honda Civic that police believe was used in the abduction of the little girl.

McClintic's next court appearance is scheduled for Aug. 12 while Rafferty is set to appear on Aug .21.

Private funeral planned for Tori
Weekend event launches father's fundraising bicycle trip to Edmonton, which is scheduled to start Wednesday
Fri, July 31, 2009
<snipped>
The grieving family of Victoria 'Tori' Stafford is planning a private funeral after the remains of the eight-year-old girl were returned this week.

"They were brought back to Woodstock," her father, Rodney Stafford, said yesterday. "Funeral services are in the works."

The family is planning a private service. Even that will not provide closure to him, Stafford said.

"I believe my final chapter won't happen until all the court proceedings are done," he said.

"There are going to be things I am not going to want to hear," he agreed. "But there is going to be lots of good things come out of this."

Included in the good is a fundraising event this weekend for Child Find Ontario, which kicks off his Kilometres for Kids ride to Edmonton, Stafford said.

Tomorrow's event will have "a whole lot of things for kids," Stafford said.

Besides games, dances, a dunk tank and prizes, children can be fingerprinted for their safety by Child Find, an organization that helps protect children and look for missing kids.

"One-hundred per cent of the money raised will go into an account for Child Find."

The same goes for money raised during his bicycle ride, Stafford said.

Stafford plans to leave Wednesday to make a 3,453-kilometre fundraising ride to Edmonton. He was still mapping out the final route yesterday, but plans to make stops along the way to help raise money.

He hopes to arrive in Edmonton in September, then head to Jasper to release a purple balloon in memory of his daughter from a mountain she hiked with her aunt.

A massive police and citizen search failed to find her, but two Woodstock residents -- Terri-Lynne McClintic, 18, and Michael Thomas Rafferty, 28 -- were charged in May with murder.

The family held a community memorial in June that drew more than 1,000 mourners.

The remains of the little girl were found July 19 near Mount Forest. She would have turned nine July 15.

Article:
http://lfpress.ca/newsstand/News/Local/2009/07/31/10322186-sun.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
OxyContin sucks the life out of some of its users
Posted 13 days ago
<snipped>
Stratford has had issues with drugs before, most notably meth, but this problem is different as the culprit is not an illegal drug but one that can be obtained legally by prescription.

That said, most of the OxyContin on the streets of Stratford has been obtained and sold illegally.

OxyContin is a narcotic pain reliever similar to morphine and is prescribed to treat severe pain, usually after surgery. Many OxyContin users were first introduced to the powerful drug after a car accident and found themselves addicted.

It's a highly addictive drug and it is a problem.

OxyContin users are regulars in criminal courts and, as one local expert said, there is a local industry which revolves around the use of OxyContin. That industry involves police, lawyers, drug counsellors and others who deal with the failures of society.

Beginning today The Beacon Herald takes a critical look at OxyContin in our community. The series by crime reporter Paul Cluff examines the challenges we face as a society and the demons with which OxyContin users wrestle.

And while we are largely concerned about the terrible impact OxyContin may be having on our friends, family and co-workers, we also need to know that the drug has taken on global infamy.

We heard about the demons little Tori Stafford's mother Tara MacDonald was battling. The mother of the Woodstock girl who was killed admitted she was an OxyContin user.

And the drug is not just in the news locally. The painkiller was found at Michael Jackson's house. American.

Article:
http://www.stratfordbeaconherald.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1681775
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Big kickoff for ride by Tori's dad
Last Updated: 2nd August 2009, 12:49am
<snipped>
Along with friends and family, Rodney Stafford organized the kickoff to his Kilometres for Kids fundraiser yesterday in Woodstock with a 12-hour event in memory of his daughter Tori.

"I made a promise to Victoria that I would do something big in her name," he said.

On Wednesday, Stafford will leave Woodstock on a bike -- travelling over 3,000 km to Edmonton and making stops for fundraising events along the way.

All of the proceeds from Stafford's journey will support Child Find Ontario.

About 105 local businesses donated prizes for a silent auction and raffle. Family members were blown away by the community support.

"I feel absolutely amazing and very grateful," said Tori's grandmother Doreen Graichen. "Even in the wake of such a terrible tragedy, there are still good people out there."

Bev Doe collected about 500 purses from friends, family and colleagues to sell at the Woodstock event. Like all little girls, Tori's love of purses prompted Doe to action.

"When Tori was abducted, she was carrying a Bratz bag," said Doe, Tori's great aunt.

"I thought it would be a nice way to honour Tori and help out Child Find."

Article:
http://www.edmontonsun.com/news/canada/2009/08/02/10339076-sun.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Saying 'bye to Tori
Slain girl's dad hopes to find closure with fundraising ride to Edmonton
Last Updated: 5th August 2009, 1:40am
<snipped>
A journey of healing, reflection and purpose begins today for the Alberta-bound father of a slain Ontario child.

"It's kind of my way of saying goodbye to Victoria," said Rodney Stafford, whose little girl was found dead in a southwestern Ontario farm field July 19.

Tori, 8, was discovered months after she went missing April 8 after attending school in Woodstock, Ont.

3,500-KM TREK

Now, her grieving father is embarking on a 3,500-km bicycle trek from his Woodstock home, hoping to raise awareness and money for Child Find Ontario.

When he arrives in Jasper in about a month, he'll climb part of a mountain, the same one Tori visited with her aunt last year.

"It's the highest point she ever was," Stafford said. "I'm going to go up there to release a purple balloon, knowing it's the closest I'll ever get to her."

Purple was Tori's favourite colour.

HEAL EMOTIONALLY

Stafford said he hopes his journey through Western Canada will help him heal emotionally after losing his only daughter to violence.

"In certain ways, I do believe it will -- to know something so tragic that happened to Victoria will help other children (by raising awareness)," he said.

Stafford begins his journey
Updated 8 days ago
<snipped>
Stafford, wearing his “Kilometres for Kids” sponsors’ T-shirt and a blue bike helmet, left the Calvary Church parking lot with a police escort — a cruiser and the Oxford Community Police Service’s two core bear officers, who joined the procession on their own bicycles. The group of supporters cheered as Stafford rode the first few metres of his 31-day trek,

Both a fundraiser for Child Find Ontario and a tribute to his daughter Victoria “Tori” Stafford, who was kidnapped and murdered earlier this year, the “Kilometres for Kids” journey will culminate with a personal commemoration of the grieved for eight-year-old. Stafford plans to visit a mountain near Jasper, Alta., and release a single purple balloon as his way of “saying goodbye” to his daughter.

“It’s the closest I can get to Victoria,” Stafford said.

http://woodstock.gallery.siteseer.ca/cache/derivative/2/7/27477.dat

Article:
http://woodstocksentinelreview.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1686655
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Tori's dad begins bicycle trek to cheers
Posted 7 days ago
<snipped>
Saying quiet goodbyes to his mother and girlfriend, Stafford stepped onto his 27-speed "asphalt" bike -a powder blue Kona Sutra -and began pedalling from the church parking lot, accompanied for the first few minutes of his ride to Edmonton by a police escort.

During this sponsored journey, Stafford plans to make another eight stops along his route for additional fundraising events. A month from now, when he finally pulls into Edmonton, Stafford will take part in one final fundraiser with his sister, Rebecca, auctioning off the Hear-Med Inc.-donated bike that carried him to his destination.

"When I look at a picture of Victoria, I know I'm doing the right thing," Stafford said. "I lost (my child) but I can protect my son and other people's children."

After this final fundraising event, Stafford has one more very personal journey before returning to Woodstock.

He plans to travel to the peak of a mountain near Jasper -a mountain that Tori visited during her 2008 trip to Alberta -to release a single purple balloon as a "final goodbye" to his beautiful daughter.

"It's the closest I can get to Victoria," he said. The minutes before he left from the church parking lot were emotional ones for Stafford and his friends. One supporter gave Stafford a pink stuffed animal as a tribute to Tori, apologizing for not being able to find a purple toy while pledging "110 per cent" support. Rolling up his shirtsleeve, Stafford showed his friends his new tattoo, a purple ribbon that celebrated his "baby girl."

Article:
http://www.brantfordexpositor.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1687491
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Making the trek for Tori
KILOMETRES FOR KIDS: Rodney Stafford on bike ride to Alberta to raise money for Child Find Ontario
Updated 6 days ago
<snipped>
Rodney Stafford knows he can't bring his daughter, Victoria, back to life.

But with every kilometre he pedals on his Kilometres for Kids cross-country ride, the Woodstock man is keeping his little girl's memory alive, while helping to keep other youngsters safe.

"For me, to know that what I'm doing will help protect other children like Tori, that's enough for me," said Stafford, leaning on his bike in the parking lot of the downtown Barrie McDonalds, yesterday. "This was an idea my 11-year-old son and I had, to take a ride in (Tori's) memory and take as long as it took."

Stafford's trek began Wednesday morning in Woodstock, and he rode into Barrie yesterday shortly before 4 p. m. for a pit stop. He figures the trip will take him 31 days to complete.

"I think of her all the time. The last two days, every side street I turn down I've seen purple flowers, people wearing purple T-shirts. (That was) her favourite colour," Stafford said, releasing a heavy sigh. "This hasn't been easy for us, and it's not something you ever wish to happen to your child.

Barrie families who have been tracking Stafford's progress online at www.eye-zon.com came out yesterday to show their support.

"A little guy from London had his birthday party recently, and instead of presents, he asked for donations to Kilometres for Kids," Stafford said. "He came to see me with an envelope filled with $800 worth of cheques. We bought him a big present for that."

Stafford will be spending his 34th birthday on the road, riding for Tori. And when he arrives in Alberta, Stafford will carry out his own little memorial ceremony for Tori.

"We'll drive from Edmonton to Jasper and on top of this one mountain, I'll let a purple balloon go," Stafford said. "Tori was there last summer, when my mom took her up there."

Article:
http://www.thebarrieexaminer.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1689220
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Rodney Stafford nearing northern Ontario on fundraising trip to Alberta
‎Aug 8, 2009‎
<snipped>
The father of slain Woodstock, Ont., girl Tori Stafford is nearing the northern region of the province on his bike trip to raise funds for Child Find Ontario. Rodney Stafford embarked on the Kilometres for Kids trip Wednesday morning in Woodstock and has now reached the Algonquin Park area of Ontario.

Accused In Stafford Murder Appears In Court
Wednesday August 12, 2009
<snipped>
One of the two people accused in the kidnapping and brutal death of Tori Stafford appeared in court on Wednesday.

Terri-Lynne McClintic, 19, faced a judge via a video link.

The Crown and the defence had both asked for more time to look at evidence. The judge agreed and set a new court date for October 1.

Meanwhile, Tori's father Rodney Stafford is cycling to Alberta to raise money and awareness for Child Find Ontario. So far he's raised about $15,000 in donations for the charity.

Article:
http://www.citynews.ca/news/news_36433.aspx
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Victoria Stafford’s father making cross-country bike trip for Child Find
August 12, 2009
<snipped>
Now, Victoria’s father Rodney is making his way across most of Canada to raise funds and awareness for Child Find Canada, a national non-profit organization that is dedicated to the search for, and prevention of, missing children.

Stafford then connected with Child Find and Eye-zOn, a GPS tracking company that allows anyone to follow his progress online, which will follow him as he makes his way from Woodstock to Edmonton, Alberta.

Never an avid cyclist, Stafford said the trip has been “a little rough here and there,” but the support he’s received in the communities along the way has gone a long way to encourage him.

“Every fifth car honks or waves and you have vehicles pulling over and taking pictures and clapping and cheering me on. It makes you feel really good,” he said.

Although he had initially planned on cycling about 120 km per day and stopping in only a few communities along the way, Stafford said he now plans to increase the number of stops.

“Originally I had planned on . . . more or less rushing myself, but the longer I’ve been on the road I’ve realized I’ve got to be hitting the little towns, I’ve got to be spending some time there,” he said.

Stafford made stops in Gravenhurst and Bracebridge before coming to Huntsville and said he hopes to stop in some communities along the way to North Bay before heading on to Sudbury.

He said he has no set plans or schedules, but hopes to make it to Edmonton by September.

“I do want to get to Edmonton before I have to use a snowmobile to finish this thing,” he said.

Armed with an empty water jug to collect donations, Stafford said he’s not keeping track for what’s donated, “just fill the bucket and make a big deposit at the end.”

At the Civic Square on Monday, many residents and town staff came up to drop a donation in the bucket, shaking Stafford’s hand and passing on their condolences.

As Stafford wrote in his blog entry on Sunday, “Tori, if (you’re) listening, I’ll continue to ride (on) the front of the seat so you can sit with me.”

Victoria Stafford's dad is a man on a mission
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
<snipped>
Today Rodney Stafford stopped by Northgate Shopping Centre as part of his ‘Kilometres for Kids’ bicycle journey from Woodstock to Edmonton to raise money and awareness for Child Find Ontario in order to help prevent other families from having to go through the ordeal he has endured.

Stafford, who is grateful to the Holiday Inn Express chain including General Manager John Crescenzi for their support during the ride, says the ride is not only in benefit of Child find as it also allows him a chance for one more good-bye to his daughter before going headlong into what promises to be an emotional and truly disturbing trial.

Michael Thomas C.S. Rafferty, 28, and Terri-Lynne McClintic, 18, were arrested for the murder of Victoria Stafford and are awaiting trial.

McClintic appears in court
August 13, 2009
<snipped>
While lawyer Jeanine LeRoy has raised the prospect of a plea bargain in the past -- pointing to her client's co-operation with investigators during the initial police search for Tori's remains -- she was much more circumspect after Terri-Lynne McClintic's morning court appearance.

"I expect I will be speaking to the Crown after I review the disclosure and discuss it with my client, but that's a long way away" LeRoy said outside the Oxford County Court House. "I have no comment anymore about any speculation that there is or will be a resolution to this matter."

During McClintic's brief video appearance from the Elgin-Middlesex Detention Centre, the court heard that LeRoy had just received a "significant amount of disclosure" from the Crown Attorney's office. As a pale McClintic stood silently, her dark hair pulled back from her face, LeRoy asked the court for an adjournment "to allow my client and myself an opportunity to review that disclosure."

When asked later about the quantity of the disclosed evidence, LeRoy said the Crown had provided her with the equivalent of a computer hard drive.

"It's going to take a substantial amount of time to review," she said. "Much of (the disclosure), as you know, comes from my client.

Before the morning court appearance, LeRoy actually had a 15-minute meeting with London-based Crown Attorney Geoff Beasley, who is handling McClintic's prosecution.

During this brief encounter, Beasley said he and LeRoy had been "discussing some disclosure." LeRoy also had a short telephone conversation with her client before requesting the six-week adjournment.

McClintic is next scheduled to appear on Thursday, Oct. 1, while Rafferty is slated to return to court on Friday, Aug. 21.

Article:
http://www.oxfordreview.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1698406
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dad cycling in memory of his slain daughter
Fri. Aug 14 - 4:46 AM
<snipped>
As he cycles to Edmonton, Rodney Stafford says he sees things every day that remind him of his daughter Victoria, known to most as Tori.

On the second day of his journey from Woodstock, Stafford says it was Tori’s favourite colour purple — shirts, a patch of heart shaped flowers, and even a purple port-a-potty — that brought Tori to mind.

But on Thursday, as Stafford logged a leg from North Bay, Ont., to Sudbury, it was the "Remember Adam" billboards, reminding motorists to follow the law when comes to school buses.

"Things like that can be prevented. We’ve got to do anything we can to worry about the safety of our children," he said.

Stafford plans to collect donations in Sudbury on Friday.

In North Bay, he raised more than $800, while people in Gravenhurst, Ont., contributed around $1,500. While stopped in Sudbury on Thursday, a man drove up and gave Stafford a cheque for $50.

People have been encouraging him on, through their words, donations and stories.

"I was speaking to one gentleman the other day, I guess his son went missing 10 years ago and there still was no sign of him," Stafford said. "But with proper financing . . . technology could be found to bring other kids home or to prevent what happened to Victoria from happening."

Article:
http://thechronicleherald.ca/Canada/1137454.html

Angel Who Cares

08-14-2009, 08:53 PM

Rodney Stafford continues journey
August 14, 2009
<snipped>
Rodney Stafford was halfway between Sudbury and North Bay Thursday morning as he continued his lengthy "Kilometres for Kids" fundraising journey to Edmonton, Alta.

Pedalling his 27-speed road bike along Highway 17 -- Ontario's longest provincial highway and part of the Trans-Canada system -- Stafford would finish roughly one-seventh of his 3,453-kilometre quest when he reached Sudbury in the early evening.

Stafford had a "great day" on Wednesday, raising more than $830 in donations for Child Find Ontario during a stop at North Bay's Northgate Central Mall. The Woodstock man invited supporters from the towns along his route -- towns like Sturgeon Falls and Vermer -- to come out and make donations.

Conceived as a tribute to his late daughter Victoria, who was kidnapped in April, the Kilometres for Kids -- and the associated fundraisers -- have already raised close to $10,000 for Child Find Ontario. During his sponsored journey, Stafford plans to make other stops along his route for additional fundraising events. When he finally pulls into Edmonton, Stafford will take part in one final fundraiser with his sister Rebecca, auctioning off the Hear-Med Inc.-donated bike that carried him to his destination.

"Let's keep pushing together," Stafford wrote in his Thursday blog entry, "for Tori and all kids."

Article:
http://www.oxfordreview.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1700400

Angel Who Cares

08-14-2009, 08:58 PM

Rodney Stafford is at Wal-Mart to raise funds and awareness
August 14, 2009
<snipped>
The father of Victoria "Tori" Stafford will be at Wal-Mart in Sudbury today along with a representative of Child Find Ontario from 11:30 a.m. to around 2-3 p.m.

Rodney Stafford is in the process of cycling from his home in Woodstock to Edmonton.

He is making the 3,453- kilometre bike ride across the country in honour of his slain daughter, but also to raise awareness and funds for Child Find Ontario, a group that works to find and protect missing kids.

Child Find will offering fingerprinting children as well as Wal-Mart.

Tori Stafford was abducted April 8 after leaving her school in Woodstock. A 19-year-old woman and 28-year-old man, residents of the town, remain in custody facing kidnapping and first degree murder charges.

Her remains were found on July 19 in Mt. Forest, Ont. The cause of death is not yet known.

Stafford is cycling from his hometown of Woodstock, Ont., to Edmonton to raise money for Child Find Ontario. View his progress at eye-zon.com.

Stafford will be at Wal-Mart most of the day on behalf of Child Find.

Tori Stafford was abducted April 8 after leaving school in Woodstock. Her remains were found on July 19 in Mount Forest, Ont. Cause of death has not been determined.

A 19-year-old woman and 28-year-old man are in custody on kidnapping and first-degree murder charges.

Rod left Woodstock on Aug. 5.

The Sault Star will have full coverage of this event later today and in tomorrow's newspaper.

Video Included In Article!

Article:
http://www.saultstar.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1703297
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~
'I feel way more motivated to complete this task than anything I've ever done': Stafford
August 17, 2009
Updated 7 hours ago
<snipped>
Most people who cycle across Canada, either for a good cause or just in the spirit of adventure, prepare for months or years for the trek.

Rodney Stafford couldn't do that. His destiny was set out for him after his daughter, Victoria "Tori" Stafford, was abducted and killed April 8 as she walked home from her Woodstock, Ont., school.

Rodney is now riding to Edmonton, where his daughter visited a favourite aunt last year, and will release a single purple — her favourite colour — balloon from a mountain in Jasper.

His daughter's memory, and the support of countless people along the way, keep him going, he said in Sault Ste. Marie Monday.

"I wake up in the morning, and I'm a little bit tired, a little bit stiff, but as the day goes on, I'm reaching down and pulling out energy I didn't know I had," said Rodney, 33, who before now had done no cycling and little else in the way of physical activity.

Indeed, Stafford admits to being somewhat aimless — he was attempting to complete his Grade 12 last spring "when all this happened" — until now.

"I feel way more motivated to complete this task than anything I've ever done, for sure."

His progress is being GPS-tracked in real time through a company called Eye-zOn, which is being marketed to keep track of children, wandering elderly people and others. Peter Beggs, who is driving a van with Rodney's girlfriend, Whitney, developed the technology after his grandson climbed out of his stroller and briefly went missing.

In cities such as North Bay, Sudbury and the Sault, Stafford and his small support group have set up a table outside the local Walmart or McDonald's with a donation jar that steadily fills by the hour. Some people pause to also offer Stafford a kind word or, in the case of at least one person Monday, lunch.

"For the most part, everybody's been trying to help me through this," said Stafford, who still cries at least once a day over the loss of his daughter, who would have turned nine July 15.

Lisa Hopkins lifted her three-year-old grandson, Ethan Crack, to place some change in the jar and exchange pleasantries. "I feel, if I was in that situation, I would want people to help me," said Hopkins.

"It's sad when you see stuff like that."

Kim, who did not want her last name used, stopped off for some prints and was shocked to see the a face familiar from constant news coverage that followed Tori's disappearance.

"Look at me — I'm shaking," said Kim. "It's devastating. I feel for him. It must be tough."

Police discovered Tori's remains on July 19, in a rural area north of Toronto. Two residents of Woodstock, which is 125 km southwest of Toronto, are in custody.

Michael Thomas Rafferty, 28, and Terri-Lynne McClintic are charged with kidnapping and first-degree murder in the girl's death.

Stafford set out from Woodstock April. 8. While he initially expected to average 140 km a day and take 31 days to reach Edmonton, the frequent stops to greet well-wishers — and the limits of his body, which turns 34 next Friday — have extended that.

However long it takes to finish it, he vows he will finish it.

"I've got the will and support to carry on. I just have the goal to get to the top of that mountain, fall down and say, 'I did it.'"

Those interested can track his progress and journal entries at http://www.eye-zon.com/.

Article:
http://www.saultstar.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1703615

Angel Who Cares

08-18-2009, 06:20 PM

Father's ride touching Canadians
TORI STAFFORD
Tue, August 18, 2009
<snipped>
The father of slain Woodstock girl Tori Stafford is sparking emotional reactions from total strangers as he cycles across Canada in his daughter's honour.

Rodney Stafford stopped here yesterday to collect donations for a child-safety agency and was recognized by those heartbroken by the widely reported April abduction and slaying of Tori.

"Look at me -- I'm shaking," one woman, who gave her name only as Kim, said after running into the man she recognized from months of newscasts. "I feel for him. It must be tough."

In several cities, Stafford has set up a table outside local businesses to collect donations for Child Find. Some people pause to also offer Stafford a kind word or, in one case yesterday, lunch.

"For the most part, everybody's been trying to help me through this," Stafford said.

Stafford's eight-year-old daughter Victoria (Tori) disappeared on April 8 this year, just moments after leaving her school in Woodstock, Ontario.

Yesterday, Rodney Stafford arrived in Sault Ste. Marie via bicycle as part of his Kilometres For Kids campaign in support of the Child Find organization.

His journey began on August 5.

SooToday.com met up with him at Wal-mart as he collected donations for Child Find.

Stafford says the most difficult part about riding a bike from Woodstock to Edmonton isn't the weather, or the physical strain.

It's the time alone with his thoughts.

"I've had a lot of time to think about Victoria. That's been pretty hard," Stafford told us. "I've had a lot of stuff open up on the inside. I'd have to say that's the hardest part. But I shed a few tears and keep biking."

"Everything I've done since I left is for Child Find," he said. "They were very quick to step in when Victoria disappeared and with proper awareness and financing, I think they'll be able to accomplish way more than they already have. I miss Tori terribly, but I think there's going to be a lot of good to come from this. That's why I push myself to keep going. It's tragic that she's gone but I'm going to turn it around for the better."

Thankfully, Stafford isn't alone on his trek.

Traveling with him are his girlfriend Whitney Roth, and driver/ gizmo developer Peter Beggs.

Beggs originally came up with the idea when his own granddaughter went missing at a Wal-mart store.

"It was only for a minute, but it was enough," Beggs told us. "I saw the look on my daughter's face and I said to her half-joking 'We've got to do something about this.' I'm fortunate enough to know some people who are engineers and sales people who know how to do something like this."

"Unfortunately the Eye-zOn device came out after Victoria disappeared," said Stafford. "If something like this was in her backpack or purse, we would have known she wasn't where she was supposed to be. We would have known something was wrong."

The device is being marketed as a tracking unit for children and special-needs individuals, such as those who suffer from Alzheimer's.

"The device costs $249 online right now, and we're donating 20 percent of that back to Child Find while Rodney's on his trip," explained Beggs. "Monthly plans cost between $10 and $20 depending on what you need. The individual's location can be updated as frequently as every 32 seconds."

While the Eye-zOn device has only been on the market for two months and is currently only available online, Beggs hopes to have it available through major retailers in the very near future.

In cities along the way, Stafford collects money for Child Find Ontario and some people have paused to offer him a kind word. Tori went missing on April 8 and her remains were found on July 19 in a rural area north of Guelph.

Once in Alberta, where Tori visited last year, Stafford plans to release a purple balloon from a mountain in Jasper.

http://www.inews880.com/Pics/Aug%2009/soo1.JPG

Article:
http://www.inews880.com/Channels/Reg/LocalNews/story.aspx?ID=1126879
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~
Tori's dad reaches Sault Ste. Marie on cycle
Last Updated: 18th August 2009, 9:54am
<snipped>
Most people who cycle across Canada, either for a good cause or just in the spirit of adventure, prepare for months or years for the trek.

Rodney Stafford couldn’t do that. His destiny was set out for him after his daughter, Victoria “Tori” Stafford, was abducted and killed April 8 as she walked home from her Woodstock, Ont., school.

Rodney is now riding to Edmonton, where his daughter visited a favourite aunt last year, and will release a single purple — her favourite colour — balloon from a mountain in Jasper.

His daughter’s memory, and the support of countless people along the way, keep him going, he said in Sault Ste. Marie on Monday.

“I wake up in the morning, and I’m a little bit tired, a little bit stiff, but as the day goes on, I’m reaching down and pulling out energy I didn’t know I had,” said Rodney, 33, who before now had done no cycling and little else in the way of physical activity.

Indeed, Stafford admits to being somewhat aimless — he was attempting to complete his Grade 12 last spring “when all this happened” — until now.

“I feel way more motivated to complete this task than anything I’ve ever done, for sure.”

In cities such as North Bay, Sudbury and the Sault, Stafford and his small support group have set up a table outside the local Walmart or McDonald’s with a donation jar that steadily fills by the hour. Some people pause to also offer Stafford a kind word or, in the case of at least one person Monday, lunch.

“For the most part, everybody’s been trying to help me through this,” said Stafford, who still cries at least once a day over the loss of his daughter, who would have turned nine July 15.

"[The Amber Alert system] is so effective because it's not overused," Rektor said. "If it becomes misused then it weakens the effectiveness."

Victoria, also known as Tori, disappeared April 8, minutes after leaving her elementary school in Woodstock.

However, an Amber Alert wasn't posted immediately because police at the time said her case did not meet the guidelines for issuing one.

Before an alert is issued, police must confirm three main criteria: the child is under 18 and has been abducted, the child is in danger of serious harm, and there is enough descriptive information about the child and abductor or the suspect vehicle that a media alert would be helpful.

Ontario's Amber Alert system will be changed in the wake of criticism of the police response to the case of Victoria Stafford, who disappeared on April 8, 2009.
http://www.cbc.ca/gfx/images/news/photos/2009/05/21/tori-cp-6549677.jpg

Man will plead not guilty in Stafford's death
Last Updated: Friday, August 21, 2009 | 12:24 PM ET
<snipped>
Michael Rafferty "will certainly be pleading not guilty," said lawyer Dirk Derstine, whose client made a court appearance Friday morning in Woodstock, Ont., via video link from a London detention centre.

There's an enormous amount of evidence, including more than 2,000 statements from various civilians, to go through before the case proceeds, Derstine said.

He said he expects to see a preliminary inquiry next year, but added that a trial might not begin until 2011.

Rafferty is expected to appear in court again Sept. 25.

Article:
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/toronto/story/2009/08/21/ont-stafford-rafferty.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Accused in Tori Stafford case back in Ont. court
August 21, 2009
<snipped>
One of the accused in the killing of young Victoria 'Tori' Stafford appeared in a Woodstock, Ont., courtroom Friday via videolink.

Media reports suggested Michael Rafferty planned to plead not guilty, but his case was adjourned until Sept. 26, according to staff at the courthouse.

The search for the little girl's body began May 20, after the suspects were arrested and charged.

According to court documents, it is believed Stafford was killed the same day she disappeared.

Terri-Lynne McClintic and Michael Rafferty face kidnapping and first-degree murder charges in the death of Tori Stafford.
http://a123.g.akamai.net/f/123/12465/1d/www.vancouversun.com/news/accused+tori+stafford+case+back+court/1917465/1809220.bin

Rodney's Ride to Raise Awareness
Sunday, 23 August 2009 16:07
<snipped>
If you have wondered about weather recently and mused if summer was playing tricks with all of us, imagine how it must be on a bike traveling across the north of Lake Superior. Rodney writes, "Left Marathon this am and had to be in Nipigon today so we could meet our obligations in Thunder Bay on Sun/Mon".

"Very long scenic ride throughout the mountains...crazy hills....started out in the rain and rode for about 5 hours before the weather got the best of me and I was starting to feel ill".

"We made the decision to do a few miles in the van and firmed up our plans for the rest of the trip throughout Ontario. Too many plans in Thunder Bay, so we couldn’t wait for the weather to break and risk losing a day".

On Sunday, the team is in Thunder Bay.

Article:
http://netnewsledger.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=199:rodneys-ride-to-raise-awareness&catid=35:northwestern-ontario-regional-news&Itemid=83
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
MURDERED CHILD’S DAD CYCLES TO EDMONTON TO RAISE FUNDS/AWARENESS FOR ‘CHILD FIND
Sunday, August 23, 2009
<snipped>
With an ambitious goal of a cross-country bicycle trek from Woodstock, Ontario to Edmonton, Alberta, Rodney has undertaken a trip of some 3400 kilometres through some of Canada’s most densely populated – and its most desolate – areas. His purpose – partly to raise awareness for Child Find so that others may be spared the brutal roller-coaster ride that begins with the loss of a child, and “probably never really ends”. More central to his mission is his need to say goodbye to Victoria on his own terms. He will cycle to Edmonton, where the bicycle that carries him west will be auctioned for charity, then head to the mountains of Jasper to release a single purple balloon into the sky, in honour of Tori’s favourite colour, and in memory of happier times during a family trip to the area a year earlier.

“We caught a news story saying Rodney was attempting this trip”, says Richard Worrall, President of EYE-ZON. “We immediately understood that he was going to need some support, and that we could help him raise awareness exponentially if people could feel involved, and track his journey. With the device’s emergency “find me” button, and our ability to locate him so precisely, we also knew we could help keep him safe. EYE-ZON’s goal is that nothing of value is ever lost; most importantly, our children.”

Article:
http://www.wireservice.ca/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=1542
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Rodney Stafford making headway in ride to Alberta
Aug 23, 2009 06:26 PM
<snipped>
Rodney Stafford is travelling more than 3,000 kilometres to Edmonton, where he plans to release one purple balloon on a mountain his little girl once visited.

Stafford is now averaging about 70 kilometres per day as he nears Thunder Bay.

At this rate, Stafford says he hopes to reach Edmonton by mid September where he will be met by his sister.

Article:
http://www.thestar.com/news/ontario/article/685454

Angel Who Cares

08-25-2009, 03:08 PM

PROFILE: LeRoy formidable on defence
August 24, 2009
<snipped>
One of London defence lawyer Jeanine LeRoy's prized possessions tells a lot about her and why she's embraced the law.

LeRoy, 44, who began her career 16 years ago, has become an adept and formidable force on the local legal scene.

Outside the courtroom where she's honed her skills for argument and cross-examination, she laughs easily and often and happily seizes the moment.

Her legal profile reached national status this spring when she took on the case of Terri-Lynn McClintic, 19, the Woodstock woman charged, along with her ex-boyfriend, with first-degree murder and kidnapping in the death of eight-year-old Victoria (Tori) Stafford of Woodstock.

"I think I was caught a little by surprise at the national attention that was thrust on her and her lawyer. That has been an adjustment, for sure," she said.

Her first murder trial was in 2001, involving Donald Spindler, a man charged 22 years after victim Irene MacDonald, 36, vanished.

LeRoy had been the junior lawyer on the case with now-Ontario Court Justice John Getliffe and took it over when he was appointed to the bench. Spindler was convicted, but after a spirited defence.

LeRoy continued to take on the tough cases, defending three people charged in a string of child deaths in the city. One pleaded guilty and another was found guilty of a lesser charge of manslaughter.

One of her toughest was the case of Donna Shields of Byron, a child-care provider who was charged with murder in the death of a baby girl in her care -- a case, LeRoy said, with "a whole different kind of client and whole different kind of case."

"She was a wonderful person I enjoyed talking to and enjoyed having as a client," she said.

Shield's case was dismissed after a preliminary hearing.

LeRoy is now representing two of the most prominent child death cases in the area -- McClintic in the Stafford case, and Jennifer Sinn, 32, who was charged after the remains of three infants were found stored in her London townhouse.

Her father, Rodney, never noticed how prevalent it was. Now, months after his eight-year-old daughter was abducted and killed, the Woodstock, Ont. native sees it everywhere he travels.

Stafford, in the midst of a Woodstock-to-Edmonton bicycle ride to raise awareness of missing and abducted children, was exhausted a few nights ago and stopped at a forgettable hotel in the middle of nowhere.

Stepping into the bathroom, he saw three towels, two white and one purple.

"Why couldn’t it have been blue, white or green, you know? Why purple?" Stafford asked.

He realizes it likely just adds up to a series of coincidences, but it’s just that type of logic that’s running through his thoughts these days.

The town of White River, a hard-hit community of 840 best-known as the birthplace of Winnie the Pooh and self-described coldest centre in eastern Canada, came out in droves when he passed through earlier in August.

It was pretty impressive, said Stafford, when one considers the economic reality that comes with a mill closure in such a small locale.

"I think it was (about) 300 people from that town had lost their jobs, and the majority of the town came down to show their support and made a donation. For a town that just lost pretty much everything they had, they were still out supporting my cause," he said. "It’s been like that all the way along."

Article:
http://www.tbnewswatch.com/Entertainment/?cid=64067
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Father of slain girl goes cross-country for child safety
August 25, 2009 5:41 a.m.
<snipped>
Rodney Stafford is 2,000 kilometres from Edmonton, his final destination in a bike trip he hopes will serve as a wake-up call to parents across Canada.

“We were nobodies — put it that way. Then someone took it upon themselves to abduct and murder our daughter,” he said from a Thunder Bay, Ont., roadside yesterday. “It could happen to anybody. It’s a disgusting world, and I want to open parents’ eyes.”

Rodney is pedalling toward closure, he said, adding he has had his “ups and downs” in the months since his daughter’s murder.

“Though, I can turn this tragedy into something positive,” he said.

Based on an average speed of 60 to 120 kilometres per day, he hopes to arrive in Edmonton on Sept. 17. He’ll then head to Jasper, where he’ll climb Whistlers Mountain, to release one purple balloon at the top.

“I’m going to get to the top and scream ‘we did it,’” he said, adding purple was Tori’s favourite colour.

Amber Alert time-sensitive
Published: Wednesday, August 26, 2009
<snipped>
The news had a segment about the poor little girl, Tori Stafford, and how you must qualify to be put on the Amber Alert. I can't believe we have people in charge who think like that, to put requirements on how to get a child's cry for help out quickly to have an innocent life saved.

If a child is gone missing, as soon as the police get a description and a photograph of the child, it should be put on the air in the surrounding area immediately by radio and by TV. Every second counts.

Parents of missing kids increasingly turning to Facebook for help
Aug 27, 2009
<snipped>
Online social networking sites are increasingly being used to complement police investigations into missing person reports, and Facebook is filled with stories of families seized by unimaginable grief.

This week, Child Find Manitoba turned to Facebook to help in the search for missing children Abby and Dominic Maryk, who disappeared more than a year ago and may have been abducted by their biological father.

Still, there are drawbacks to posting appeals for help on Facebook, as the family of murdered eight-year-old Victoria (Tori) Stafford of Woodstock, Ont., learned.

The site was great for spreading the word about her disappearance and co-ordinating public searches, but it also became a forum for unsubstantiated rumour-mongering and slandering of the girl's parents as the police investigation dragged on.

"It definitely helped to raise awareness but there's definitely pros and cons with it," said Rebecca Stafford, the girl's aunt who started the Facebook page.

"You had people that were venting their anger about the situation there and you almost had a pack mentality forming ... sometimes we were worried that there might be some form of lynch mob forming or something to that effect."

Article:
http://www.google.com/hostednews/canadianpress/article/ALeqM5hATK8-gf3Y39iGr16yt0mlZM4Kqg
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Rodney Stafford reaches halfway point of fundraising ride
Aug 27, 2009 02:12 PM
<snipped>
The father of a slain Woodstock, Ont., girl has reached the halfway point of his 3,500-kilometre fundraising bike ride to Edmonton.

Rodney Stafford left Woodstock, Ont., on August 5 aiming to reach Edmonton by mid-September, while raising money along the way for Child Find Ontario.

He has now reached Dryden, in northern Ontario, about 100 kilometres from the Manitoba boundary.

Article:
http://www.thestar.com/news/ontario/article/687361
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sense of freedom constantly eroding
August 28, 2009
<snipped>
Adults are often quick to say it’s a shame that children don’t spend countless hours outdoors like they used to do. When they were kids, they’d be out with friends, unsupervised from morning till sunset, living the good life. Kids today? Lazy. Tsk tsk.

Two attempts by strange women to grab young children in the city this summer, along with the abduction and murder of Tori Stafford from Woodstock, are the freshest of countless examples why people need to watch their children like hawks. And the two unsuccessful grabbing incidents in Guelph happened with the mothers of the young children present — one was carrying her child at the time. If those kids had been a bit older and their mothers had allowed them to just go play in the neighbourhood or closest park we might have a very different news story on our hands.

It’s sad that good people have to constantly have their guard up, but there’s enough reasons why it has to be that way.

Article:
http://news.guelphmercury.com/Opinions/Editorials/article/527357
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Tori memory ride reaches Winnipeg Monday
Last Updated: 28th August 2009, 1:53pm
<snipped>
Rodney Stafford, the father of Victoria (Tori) Stafford, is scheduled to arrive at The Forks late Monday morning for an event at Inn at The Forks.

The Winnipeg police Cops for Kids bicycle relay team, bicycle patrol unit and traffic unit will escort Rodney Stafford from Westmount Drive and Patterson Street in Southdale to The Forks at 10:30 a.m.

He will depart the following morning under the same escort, police said.

Article:
http://www.winnipegsun.com/news/canada/2009/08/28/10655676.html
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Ride reaches Kenora
Posted 13 days ago
<snipped>
Rodney Stafford, whose daughter Victoria ‘Tori’ Stafford was abducted and killed in April, is on a 3,400-kilometre ride to Edmonton. The Kilometres For Kids ride to raise money and awareness for Child Find reached Kenora Thursday afternoon just before 5 p.m. Stafford will be meeting the public Saturday at a fundraising barbecue at Walmart from 1-4 p.m.

Rodney Stafford, whose daughter Victoria Tori Stafford was abducted and killed in April, is on a 3,400-kilometre ride to Edmonton. The Kilometres For Kids ride to raise money and awareness for Child Find reached Kenora Thursday afternoon just before 5 p.m. Stafford will be meeting the public Saturday at a fundraising barbecue at Walmart from 1-4 p.m.
http://kenora.gallery.siteseer.ca/cache/derivative/6/1/6157.dat

Ontario dad on trek to Alberta to raise funds in honour of daughter
Last updated at 11:37 PM on 30/08/09
<snipped>
On Sunday, he rolled into St. Anne, Man., where he was to spend the night before heading to Winnipeg on Monday.

Stafford, 34, plans to end his fundraising trip in Edmonton where his daughter visited a favourite aunt last year. He’ll then visit Jasper, Alta., where he’ll release a purple balloon — Tori’s favourite colour — from a mountain as a way to say goodbye to his daughter.

Police discovered Tori’s remains on July 19 in a rural area north of Toronto.
Michael Thomas Rafferty, 28, and Terri-Lynne McClintic, 18, both of Woodstock, are charged with kidnapping and first-degree murder.

Article:
http://www.ngnews.ca/index.cfm?sid=282337&sc=503
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Slain girl’s father on cross-country trip to raise money
August 31, 2009
<snipped>
Rodney Stafford was in St. Anne, Man., Sunday, where he spent the night before cycling into Winnipeg Monday morning.

Stafford, who before his trip began had no cycling experience, joked he should have no problem keeping up with the unit.

“I have a better bike,” Stafford said. “Going through northern Ontario my legs might be a little bit stronger than theirs right now.”

Stafford will raise money at an event Tuesday before leaving Wednesday to continue west. The forecast calls for sunny skies and temperatures in the high 20s all week.

Stafford also said he couldn’t pedal from Kenora to Manitoba because of safety reasons. A decision was made to ride in the van to St. Anne because traffic on the Trans-Canada was so heavy.

“Without a police escort there was no way I could do it,” he said. “The traffic would come up behind the van and go around the van and cut back in front of the van. They would even notice I was there. There was a number of close calls. For safety issues I just wasn’t going to attempt it. Especially with everybody coming home after the weekend.”

Article:
http://www.calgaryherald.com/news/Slain+girl+father+cross+country+trip+raise+money/1946800/story.html
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Stafford feels Tori's presence
Tue, September 1, 2009
<snipped>
Rodney Stafford is cycling across four provinces in honour of his slain daughter, but he isn't alone on his bicycle.

And there have been plenty of serene moments when Stafford felt like she was there beside him or watching from above, he says.

One occurred in North Bay, where Stafford revisited a place he and his kids made memories watching black bears years ago.

"It wasn't even dark out and we looked up and there was one star in the sky above us. It was like I had taken her back to see the bears," said Stafford, who arrived in Winnipeg yesterday.

Christy Dzikowicz, director of Child Find Manitoba, said people will pay close attention to Stafford's message, which urges parents to never let their guard down. "Families will sit up and listen a little more closely when they see a guy who is really just a regular dad who never anticipated this happening to his family," she said.

Article:
http://lfpress.ca/newsstand/News/CanadaWorld/2009/09/01/10697796-sun.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
'I just want to make our kids safe'
Father of slain girl on life-saving mission
1/09/2009 1:00 AM
<snipped>
Rodney Stafford's eyes moistened when a red-haired girl interrupted a media scrum Monday morning at The Forks."Here's 40 dollars for Child Find," the young girl said as she pressed some rolled-up bills into his hand.

Stafford, who is riding across much of Canada to raise awareness and money for the organization in the wake of his daughter's slaying last spring, hopped off his road bike, thanked her and asked if he could give her a hug. The little girl obliged.

Regaining his composure, he said young children come up to him at least once a day and show their support for his efforts, either with a hug, a donation or asking for an autograph.

"It makes me feel great. Even children know what I'm doing. I just want to make our kids safe," he said.

Article:
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/life/i-just-want-to-make-our-kids-safe-56534932.html
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Stafford poised to enter Manitoba
KENORA: Father of slain girl praises generosity of Northern Ontario
9 Days ago
<snipped>
"It was not the outcome I wanted to learn," Stafford related during an interview at a fundraising barbecue in Kenora Saturday. "It's a very tragic thing. I cry every day but if I sit at home and stir about it, I'm going to go insane."

"Child Find tried to do everything possible to bring her home," he said. "So rather than just do the ride for Victoria, I wanted to make the public aware and do the ride for all children."

"I'm trying to open people's eyes. It's becoming more and more a dangerous world. Our children aren't as safe as people think," Stafford said. "When this ride is over I hope to have done all I can to raise awareness for children's safety."

"With each town more and more people are attending (Child Find) events. The ride is getting media attention and it's getting bigger and bigger from town to town," he said, noting Kenora has been particularly supportive.

"I love this community. The support of Northern Ontario has been amazing."

Article:
http://www.saultstar.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1726028
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Tori's Father In Portage
The father of 8 year old Tori Stafford cycled through Portage this afternoon.
September 2, 2009
<snipped>
Stafford says the growing support for the ride as he crosses Canada is great because awareness is growing as well.

He hopes all of Canada will know he decided to cycle across the country, not just for Tori, but for all children, including teenagers.

Stafford has found reassurance as he's travelled across the country because so many good people are coming out. He's convinced those folks out-number bad people.

Stafford stresses his goal is to raise awareness, and urges you to talk to your kids about staying safe.

Article:
http://www.portageonline.com/index.php?option=com_ezine&task=read&page=9&category=21&article=13641&Itemid=86
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Tori's absence leaves a hole
A trauma response team plans to keep a low profile the first day back
Sat, September 5, 2009
<snipped>
When classes ended in June for the kids at Oliver Stephens public school in Woodstock, they knew their eight-year-old classmate Victoria (Tori) Stafford had been kidnapped and two people were charged with her murder.

For several weeks, psychologist Sally Christensen and her trauma response team with the Thames Valley District school board had been by their sides, helping them deal with that news.

But the children ended the school year with one mystery still unanswered: Where was Tori?

On Tuesday, those children will arrive at school with the terrible answer to that question.

Christensen, though, is going to give them some space.

She and her team will be in the school and available to pupils and teachers during the week, after that first day.

"We will be there to see how people are feeling. We will be keeping a low profile."

The school will notice not only Tori's absence, but the absence of her brother, Daryn, too.

The children's mother, Tara McDonald, has moved out of Woodstock and Daryn will start at a new school this fall.

"He will be sorely missed. He was really loved by students and staff," Christensen said.

Charged with first-degree murder and abduction in Tori's disappearance are Michael Thomas Rafferty, 28, and Terri-Lynne McClintic, 18, of Woodstock.

Each has had several court appearances via video from jail. McClintic is next scheduled to appear in court Oct. 1, while Rafferty is back in court Sept. 25.

Article:
http://lfpress.ca/newsstand/News/Local/2009/09/05/10758311-sun.html
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Tori Stafford's father Rodney in Regina to raise awareness about missing children
September 8, 2009
<snipped>
“I want people to know that no matter where you live, whether it be a big city, a small town, a little community, it can happen anywhere, at any time,” said Stafford. “These people find out ways to make it happen and children are disappearing everywhere. We have to try put some kind of stop to it.”

He admitted there are times when the grief and pain are too overwhelming and during his trek, he’s had his moments.

Stafford has such a moment while he was biking near Kenora.

“Right on the rock wall, someone spray painted their nickname “Chubbs.” That was what we called my daughter,” he said. “I was biking along and I just happened to look up and I seen it and it was — instant. I had to pull over and take a break.”

He set his bike down and ran until he found a spot where he could release his emotions.

“I sat down and cried for like 10 minutes,” said Stafford. “It just hit me so hard, just seeing that name.”

Stafford is biking from his hometown of Woodstock, Ont., to Edmonton. Tuesday marked his 34th day on the road and about a week left of his tour. So far, the father has raised about $22,000 for Child FInd.

Article:
http://www.leaderpost.com/news/Tori+Stafford+father+Regina+raise+awareness+about+ missing+children/1972564/story.html
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Victoria Stafford's dad on trek to safeguard kids
Last Updated: Wednesday, September 9, 2009 | 12:15 AM ET
<snipped>
I have my days when I break down on the bike," Stafford told CBC News Tuesday during a stopover in Regina. "I pull to the side on my bike and literally just burst out crying.

When he entered Saskatchewan, Stafford gained a riding partner in the father of a 10-year-old boy who was abducted three years ago by the convicted pedophile Peter Whitmore.

That case also attracted widespread attention. Whitmore had also abducted a 14-year-old from Manitoba. While the boys had been abused, they were released and Whitmore gave himself up.

A publication ban in the Whitmore court case prevents media outlets from identifying the father of the 10-year-old involved.

The dad told CBC News on Tuesday that he was getting involved in Stafford's campaign so that other families would not have to endure what they experienced.

"It's very important to me to raise awareness," the man said. "It happened to Rodney in Ontario. It happened to my family in Whitewood and to raise awareness that sexual abuse of children is all around us."

His voice trembling with emotion, Stafford also encouraged parents to keep a close watch on their children.

"Hold your kids tight," Stafford said. "I wish I could do that with both of mine, but unfortunately I lost Victoria in April and hopefully there's something we can do about changing everything around."

Stafford said his cycling trip, which will cover some 3,400 kilometres, will resume Wednesday. He plans to reach Edmonton on Sept. 17.

Rodney Stafford spoke about the need to raise awareness about child abuction, during a stop in Regina during a cycling trek.
http://www.cbc.ca/gfx/images/news/photos/2009/09/08/sk-stafford-awareness090908.jpg

Article:
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/toronto/story/2009/09/08/sk-stafford-bike-campaign.html
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Bike Ride for Child Find
Wednesday, 09 September 2009
<snipped>
Wednesday, he'll tackle the stretch of of Highway 11 between Regina and Davidson, north of Moose Jaw. He says the crowds that have greeted him along the way have given him the support he needs to make it to Edmonton.

"The further I go, the bigger it gets and I'm very glad to see that because people are obviously paying attention to what I'm doing and I'm spreading the word."

Stafford says each morning he wakes up and stares at a picture of Tori and that is his motivation for the day.

Article:
http://www.discovermoosejaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=9488&Itemid=401
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Biking for Child Find
Thursday, 10 September 2009
<snipped>
Riding alongside Rodney Stafford is the father of the boy abducted three years ago by convicted pedophile Peter Whitmore. In that spree, Whitmore also abducted a 14 year old from Manitoba. After a manhunt and standoff with police, Whitmore gave himself up and the boys were freed.

If you see Rodney Stafford on the highway, give a wave or honk the horn to show some support. Stafford is on Highway 11 en route to Saskatoon today (thurs) before he begins pushing on to Edmonton.

"I'm just trying to open people's eyes that their children aren't safe."

Now, Stafford is biking across the country, from Ontario to Edmonton, in an effort to raise awareness for ChildFind Canada. He cycled from Davidson to Saskatoon on Thursday accompanied by Sergeants Tony Nadon Keith Salzl of the Saskatoon Police Service.

Stafford said it's the same trip Victoria made with her grandmother last summer. Technically, the last stop is a mountain in Jasper, Alberta. He plans to climb the same mountain Victoria did and release one purple balloon.

"(I'm also going to) take a picture of myself in the same spot my daughter was and then we're going to Photoshop the picture of my daughter in my arms." said Stafford.

"It's so my last image of my daughter is with me on the mountain and not walking away with this mysterious woman."

"Before this happened to Victoria, I was one of those people who thought, you know, it'll never happen to me, it only happens in the movies," said Stafford.

"I wish I could swallow those words. My baby's gone. I'll never hold her again. I just want to do what I can to help people not go through what I've went through since April."

Article:
http://www.newstalk650.com/story/20090910/22212

Angel Who Cares

09-27-2009, 02:26 AM

The home stretch
September 15, 2009
<snipped>
It was an emotional reunion Sunday for Rebecca (Stafford) Nichols and her brother, Rodney Stafford.

Five days before his arrival in Edmonton -- the last stop on his cross-county Kilometres for Kids bicycle trip in memory of his slain daughter Victoria (Tori) Stafford --Nichols and her new husband, Nathan Nichols, drove three and a half hours to surprise and offer support to Stafford in North Battleford.

Nichols said Stafford expects to finish his journey on Thursday, when she, with her sister Natasa Edmonds and brother Russell Edmonds, will accompany the cyclist into Edmonton.

Friday will be a day of rest for Stafford, and a chance to talk to local media about his cause.

Nichols said a celebration of his journey will take place at the West Edmonton Mall on Saturday.

On Sunday, Stafford will travel to a Jasper-area mountain, once visited by Tori, where he plans to release a single purple balloon.

Article:
http://woodstocksentinelreview.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1753521
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Keeping children safe by remembering Tori Stafford
September 15, 2009
<snipped>
A walk and vigil will be held Sunday at Riverside Park to remember Tori Stafford and to attempt to reduce the chance of cases like hers from happening again.

Sunday’s event will support petitions calling for changes to the Amber Alert system. The proposed Tori’s Law would see the Amber Alert system activated any time a parent or guardian finds it out of character for a child under 16 to be missing for any length of time.

Vigils were also being planned in other cities. A national initiative has been postponed but individual communities can still hold events, as is the case in Guelph.

The walk and vigil are meant to encourage schools to ensure students who walk home from school are safe, Orawski said. Specifically, she suggested schools could recruit adult volunteers to ensure children are safe and help organize groups of students walking home together, supervised by adults.

Article:
http://news.guelphmercury.com/News/article/532831
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Oxford County : Stafford Bike Ride Set To Finish
2009/9/17 13:20:05
<snipped>
Rodney Stafford's charity bicycle ride is set to wrap up today. He left Woodstock August 5th for Edmonton raising money and awareness for Child Find Ontario. The 3400 kilometre ride is in memory of daughter Victoria, who was abducted and murdered this spring. Stafford will head to Jasper to release a purple balloon atop a mountain Victoria had once visited. Twenty-eight-year-old Michael Rafferty is charged in her murder; he'll be back in court next Friday.

Attached Files:
http://cd989.com/modules/news/visit.php?fileid=6889

Article:
http://cd989.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=17580
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Rodney Stafford arriving in Edmonton today
Thursday, September 17th, 2009 2:33 pm
<snipped>
Rodney Stafford is cycling into Edmonton today, to end a 3,500 kilometre bike ride in memory of his murdered daughter. Eight year old Victoria Stafford was abducted and killed in April.

Stafford left Woodstock last month, on a trek to raise money and awareness for Child Find. He tells 570 News, so far he's raised almost $22,000.

Stafford says he's learned a lot on his trek. He says there are still a lot of good people in the world, and a lot of people came out to help and support him along the way. He hopes his trip will make people realize the dangers our children face, and that we need to better protect them. He says he's looking forward to the end of his trip, and showing people that they can do anything they put their mind to.

Article:
http://www.570news.com/news/local/more.jsp?content=20090917_143251_5552
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Father of slain girl Victoria Stafford nears end of bike tour
September 17, 2009, 4:14 PM
<snipped>
The father of Victoria Stafford, the slain eight-year-old whose disappearance from Woodstock, Ont., made headlines across the country this year, will make his way into the Edmonton area Thursday as he finishes up a cross-country bike tour.

Rodney Stafford will spend Thursday and Friday in the community of Sherwood Park, Alta., before he bikes through Edmonton’s river valley to reach his final destination at West Edmonton Mall, said his sister, Rebecca Stafford Nichols, who lives in Edmonton.

Stafford has cycled about 3,500 kilometres on his Kilometres for Kids bike tour to raise money and awareness for Child Find.

Article:
http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/posted/archive/2009/09/17/father-of-slain-girl-victoria-stafford-nears-end-of-bike-tour.aspx
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Slain Ontario girl’s father bikes into Sherwood Park
September 18, 2009
<snipped>
Like most parents, he once thought child abductions only happened to other people.

"But no, it's everywhere... children go missing all the time and it's about time we all stood up and hopefully some people higher up can finally realize we've got to do something about our children's safety."

At times, the trek has been gruelling, with wind and rain testing his strength, he said. Stafford blogged about patching up a blown tire on Sunday with duct tape, because he had sent all his spare tubes home.

"I fought with myself to get through each day. Some days were really easy but other days, where the wind is like today, I've gotta fight against the wind to get through it but I'm going to get through it."

Stafford will spend Friday in Sherwood Park before he bikes through Edmonton's river valley on Saturday to reach his final destination at West Edmonton Mall.

The finale will take place from 1 to 4p.m. at the mall's centre court.

Rodney Stafford, father of Tori Stafford who was kidnapped and murdered in Ontario, hugs his girlfriend Whitney Roth after completing his tour for the day. Stafford has been cycling from Ontario to Edmonton to raise money and awareness for missing children. He rides down the Yellowhead Highway near Ardossan, Alta., east of Edmonton on Sept. 17, 2009.
http://a123.g.akamai.net/f/123/12465/1d/www.edmontonjournal.com/travel/slain+ontario+girl+father+bikes+into+sherwood+park/2004602/2005354.bin

Victoria Stafford's dad nears end of cross-country ride
Father of slain Ont. girl cycling across Canada to raise awareness of child safety
Friday, September 18, 2009 | 9:21 PM ET
<snipped>
Rodney Stafford is expected to officially end his 3,500-kilometre journey Saturday when he cycles into West Edmonton Mall.

Victoria Stafford, 8, went missing in April near her school in Woodstock, Ont. Her remains were found in July in an isolated wooded area in the small farming community of Mount Forest, about 95 kilometres north of Woodstock.

Two Woodstock residents, Michael Rafferty and Terri-Lynne McClintic, have been charged with her abduction and murder.

On Friday, Woodstock Mayor Michael Harding relayed a message to Stafford by way of CBC.

"Rodney, this is Mayor Michael Harding, and I am bloody proud of what you've done," he said, directing his comments to Stafford.

"To choose a cause of Child Find and [to make] sure that we care for our kids and find them — I mean that's a very good cause. So, I think any community would be very, very proud of Rodney at this point."

Stafford began his trip on Aug. 5 in Woodstock and was in Vegreville, Alta., Friday, with another 100 kilometres to go to reach Edmonton.

"I think it's great that he's taken such a negative, tragic situation in his life and the community's life and [is] making something positive about it," said Woodstock resident Kevin Proctor.

His gruelling 45-day bicycle trip, where he averaged about 70 kilometres per day, has raised awareness about child abduction and helped him deal with some of the pain of his loss.

"It has put a lot of relief into me," said Stafford, his face burned from the prairie wind and sun, his eyes glassy with fatigue.

"I keep remembering all the good times with Victoria. It is like I am filling a void."

During the long hours and days of peddling on the road his spirits were buoyed by the well wishes of people along the way who beeped their horns in support. At night he gained some strength by reading messages posted on an Internet site that was set up to help promote the trip and raise money for the organization Child Find.

"Way to go Rodney... you are a true hero...you are a great father," posted someone from Ingersoll, Ont.

"Wooooohoooooooo Rodney, Your journey was an accomplishment that you are to be proud of.. You make Canadians proud. You are an inspiration to all of us. Hoping you can find some peace and comfort now that you have done what you set out to do," says another post.

But Stafford said what really propelled him along hour after hour, kilometre after kilometre, were memories of his daughter.

While still in Ontario he made it a point to visit a park where he and Tori saw two bears a few years ago. Viewing the bruins thrilled his daughter at the time. Stafford said he couldn't believe it when he saw two bears near the same spot outside of North Bay.

"There were two bears sitting their eating and there was a star in the sky right above me," he said. "Tori has been with me on this ride."

Next year, the man and woman charged with kidnapping and first-degree murder in connection with Tori's death could go on trial. He plans to be in the courtroom every day.

Michael Rafferty, 28, and Terri-Lynne McClintic, 19, are in custody in Ontario as they await the legal process to deal with the allegations against them.

Rafferty's lawyer said in August that his client will plead not guilty. He predicted that a preliminary hearing would not be held until next year and if the case is committed to trial, that might not occur until 2011. McClintic's attorney has not indicated how her client will plead.

"This (the cycling journey) is a little bit of closure, but we still have the trial coming up," Stafford said. "As painful as it is going to be I need to be there. I need to find out what happened to my baby."

Article:
http://www.google.com/hostednews/canadianpress/article/ALeqM5jvZPgq5HOsVLpNafqlB1_4vqgfUA
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Closure at the finish line
Slain girl's dad amazed at support he encountered during fundraising trek
Last Updated: 20th September 2009, 1:15am
<snipped>
"I feel really good, I do, compared to the day I set out skeptical of what I was doing, wondering if it was worth it," he said after he finished his 3,453-km bike ride from Woodstock, Ont., to Edmonton yesterday. "I strongly believe that no matter what happens after today, word will spread."

He set out 45 days ago to escape his hometown, a scene rich with memories of his eight-year-old daughter Tori, but also loaded with the horror of her abduction and death earlier this year.

During the ride, "my biggest thought was of Victoria (Tori) this spring," he said, when members of his extended family walked along the beach in Woodstock, skipping stones. "I had a few good chuckles. Everyone else was picking up nice flat stones and skipping them. But Victoria picked up big, fat ones and chucked them. She couldn't quite get the hang of it. But then one, she skipped eight or nine times.

"It was a free time, a happy moment. We had so many."

But after Tori's death, he found his faith in people shaken, and even his career plans changed. He ditched plans to become a corrections officer, he said, because he didn't want to deal with criminals since becoming a victim.

"People would just stop and offer dinner and a place to stay. There's been amazing support from the beginning," he said. It convinced him good people in the world, "far outnumber the bad people."

More so, people lined up, including at West Edmonton Mall yesterday for the last ChildFind event of his trip, to share their feelings, sad and supportive, about the case.

"They're just coming up and saying thank you. In time, this (attention) will fade, I'm sure, and I'll just remember I did something significant," said Stafford.

Article:
http://www.edmontonsun.com/news/alberta/2009/09/20/11004666-sun.html
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Single balloon for Tori
Last Updated: 21st September 2009, 3:32am
<snipped>
After so much campaigning, it was a "personal day," said Rodney Stafford after releasing a balloon from a mountain in his daughter's honour.

He ended a 45-day tribute fundraising bicycle ride in Edmonton Saturday, then rode in a car with family to Jasper National Park yesterday. The family took a gondola to the top of Whistler Mountain, where Stafford released a single purple balloon in honour of Tori Stafford.

The eight-year-old was abducted and slain in Woodstock, Ont. She disappeared April 8.

Article:
http://www.edmontonsun.com/news/canada/2009/09/21/11025416-sun.html
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Stafford Returns Home
Tue, 22 Sep 2009 8:41:46 EDT
<snipped>
Home sweet home, later this afternoon Rodney Stafford is scheduled to touch down at London International Airport. Stafford, the father of 8-year-old Tori Stafford who was murdered, is slated to arrive in London before returning to his home in Woodstock. Back in August he left on his 3500 kilometer bike ride from Woodstock to Edmonton raising awareness and donations for Child Find Ontario. One of the two suspects charged in connection with Tori's murder, Michael Rafferty, is due to appear in court Friday.

Article:
http://www.myfmradio.ca/1057/wire/news/01122_Stafford_Returns_Home_083324.php
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Homecoming for Rodney Stafford
Tue, 2009-09-22 15:00.
<snipped>
An emotional reunion at the London International Airport this afternoon.

The father of Victoria Stafford came back to Ontario.....after a 34 hundred kilometre fundraising bike ride to Alberta.

Rodney Stafford was greeted by his son, Daryn and his mother as he stepped onto the tarmac.

He has spent the last 40 days cycling from Woodstock to Edmonton to raise funds for ChildFind Ontario.

Throughout his journey, Stafford raised over 22 thousand dollars for the organization and says they are still counting the money raised from his final stop in Edmonton.

Stafford says plans are already in the works to possibly make the trek again next year this time taking his son with him for the ride.

Michael Rafferty, one of the two suspects charged in Victoria's murder, is scheduled to appear in a Woodstock court via video link this Friday.

Tori's dad completes epic ride
Rodney Stafford covered 3,453 kilometres in 45 days on a bicycle to raise money for Child Find Canada
Wed, September 23, 2009
<snipped>
Atop Whistlers Mountain in Jasper, 2,464 metres above sea level and as close to the heavens as he could get, Rodney Stafford shouted, "I love you Chubs!"

One after another, the others in his hiking party -- a sister, brother-in-law and his girlfriend -- shouted out.

"We all ended up screaming something. There was a lot of inside emotion. A lot of it came out. It felt pretty good."

With the release of his emotions and a purple balloon in honour of his slain daughter, Victoria (Tori) Stafford -- nicknamed Chubs -- Stafford ended a 45-day-mission that took him from Woodstock to Alberta.

Some days riding were tougher than others, but Stafford said he never thought of giving up.

"I knew it was too important and I had a lot of support behind me. There was no way I could fail," he said.

"It was very demanding, physically demanding, mentally as well . . . with everything that was going on in my head regarding Victoria and Daryn."

*Videos Included In Article!

Article:
http://lfpress.ca/newsstand/News/Local/2009/09/23/11065286-sun.html
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Hugs for Rodney
September 24, 2009
<snipped>
Rodney Stafford met his son Daryn with a huge grin and great big bear hug after landing safely at London International Airport Tuesday afternoon.

After 45 days on his cross-country Kilometres for Kids cycling trip, Stafford, with his girlfriend Whitney Roth, was all smiles as he greeted his son, his mother Doreen Graichen, sister Randi Millen and her new baby Sylvia.

Stafford described his 45-day trip as "awesome" to waiting reporters in the boarding area at London International Airport after disembarking from his 1 p.m. WestJet flight.

"I wish it was still going. I didn't want it to be over," he said. "Every day I was meeting new people. It's great to know those people are out there."

Last Sunday, Stafford travelled to a Whistler-area mountain, once visited by Victoria, where he released a single purple balloon.

Stafford presented a photo of himself on the mountain, with his arms around his daughter, to his mother as a memento of his trip.

A photo of the child, taken last summer on the mountain, was superimposed on the new image to make it appear as if they visited the mountain together.

Next year, Stafford said he hopes to return to the Western provinces, riding a three-man bike with his girlfriend and son.

On Oct. 3, a dance/barbecue at the CAW Hall in Ingersoll will commemorate the end of Stafford's bike ride

Michael Rafferty appeared in a Woodstock court over a video hook up from the Elgin Middlesex Detention Centre, where a judicial pre-trial meeting was set for Oct. 8.

One of his lawyers, Scott Reid, says that meeting will essentially lay the groundwork for an upcoming preliminary hearing.

Rafferty will then make another video court appearance on Oct. 16.

While co-accused, 19 year old Terri-Lynn McClintic, will be back in court next Thursday.

Article:
http://www.cjbk.com/news/565/998356
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Rafferty back in court next month
September 26, 2009
<snipped>
The man accused of kidnapping and murdering eight-year-old Victoria “Tori” Stafford will return to court on Oct. 8 for his judicial pre-trial.

Appearing by video from the Elgin Middlesex Detention Centre, Michael Rafferty stood quietly while his lawyer, Scott Reid, told the court that dates had been arranged.

Because of the complexity of the case, the judicial pre-trial has been scheduled to allow the defence, the Crown attorney and a judge to discuss the impending trial. Generally, the pre-trial provides an opportunity for the judge to review the positions of the defence and prosecution before setting a trial date.

McClintic makes video court appearance
Updated Thu. Oct. 01 2009 8:20 PM ET
<snipped>
A nineteen-year-old woman charged in the slaying of eight-year-old Victoria Stafford of Woodstock made her first court appearance in more than a month and a half on Thursday.

Terri-Lynne McClintic appeared via video link before a judge in Woodstock and was remanded in custody.

Her next court date is scheduled for November 27th.

McClintic is charged with kidnapping and first-degree murder. Victoria Stafford was last seen leaving her school in April. The little girl's remains were found on July 19th, north of Guelph.

Article:
http://southwesternontario.ctv.ca/news.php?id=5870
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McClintic appears via video
October 2, 2009
Posted 12 hours ago
<snipped>
At the most recent court appearance by the woman accused of murdering eight-year-old Victoria "Tori" Stafford, it took less than two minutes to learn that she won't be back in court for two months.

Terri-Lynne McClintic, 19, was only briefly on the television screen yesterday while Crown attorney Geoff Beasley explained to the court the reason for requesting the two-month delay until her next video appearance. Because of the sheer amount of evidence in this high-profile case, the Crown's office is still in the midst of providing disclosure to McClintic's lawyer, Jeanine LeRoy.

"It's an ongoing and extensive process," Beasley said.

While LeRoy wasn't able to make the brief appearance, Woodstock lawyer Trudy Mauth talked with McClintic by telephone to inform the 19-year-old about the Nov. 27 date of her next appearance.

"This will allow disclosure to be released to your counsel in an ongoing manner," justice of the peace F. Michael McMahon told McClintic.

After McClintic's August court appearance. LeRoy told the Sentinel-Review the Crown had already provided her office with the equivalent of a computer hard drive in terms of evidence. With the continuing investigation into Tori's kidnapping and murder by police, there is the potential of substantial amount of forthcoming evidence in the case.

(Here Reproduced in accordance with the Fair Dealing (29) provision of the Canada Copyright Act.)

"It is a horror past most peoples' reason that an adult - or adults - would conspire to do harm, and do it, to a child. Adults can have their feuds and fights with each other, and they do; gangs can 'hit' the members of other gangs, and they do. And these too are deplorable circumstances, and send a circle of grief and pain to a lot of people not directly involved .

It is however, terribly different - a journey to a totally vile arena - when we learn of adults who do injury and terror and death to a young child. You do not have to be religious to accept the biblical words on someone who would "bring offense" on "the little ones", that "it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea."

For close to a month now, the town of Woodstock - all Ontario in fact - and to a good degree, the whole country too, have been, up until yesterday, waiting for some news on the fate of poor Tori Stafford - joyful, pretty 8 year old Tori Stafford - who was abducted after leaving her school - up until yesterday, because then the news came out that the innocent little girl was very likely killed within hours of her abduction - news which closed the doors on all hope for the many citizens of Woodstock, who have been searching and waiting since the woeful story began. Some of young Tori's closest relatives, her father and others - and it is piercing to watch - seem (and who cannot understand their situation?) unable to let go of hope.

People are white-hot angry and numb almost in the same moment. What combination of selfishness, cowardice, indulgence and rabid perversity inhabits a person to plan such injury on the helpless and the innocent; to steal a life before its dawn is over; to violate the peace of mind of parents and loved ones and vacate the harmony of an entire community? Hungry dogs in the street have more conscience.

Toronto went through a very similar - and equally terrible - vigil: that one was four bitter months in length, four years ago, when Cecilia Zhang - three days before all of her 10th birthday - was taken from her family's house. Poor Cecilia's body was found by a hiker. It's four years ago to us, the public - but I am sure it's yesterday to Cecilia's parents. These assaults, so terrible and repulsive in themselves, leave craters in the hearts of parents and family, almost as terrible to contemplate. I fear that yesterday's news must again have burned the hearts of those who were close to Cecilia.

And they radiate gloom and menace, I think, to nearly everyone. Yesterday's newscasts out of Woodstock tell the story: people - not even relatives - tearing up on camera; the police - for all their experience with the worst side of things - in this case wearing some of the shock and pain of everyone else.

It is the grotesque inequality between those who execute such crimes and their victims - the mercilessness of targeting the helpless and innocent - and the robbery of a whole life, that appalls and staggers us. Each new instance of violence visited upon a child calls up, unabated, a great wave of sympathy for the victim and utter revulsion towards the perpetrators. Thank God that it does, that we never get "adjusted" get "used" to such savagery.

Neighbours and friends are the best ones to offer genuine comfort and support to Tori's parents, but all of us, I am sure would wish to be part of that wave of sympathy to these two who are now grieving . We surely share their sorrow that one so young and unacquainted with the world was so cruelly and early taken from it.

For The National, I'm Rex Murphy."

Posted by The National on May 21, 2009 02:49 PM

Angel Who Cares

10-17-2009, 10:31 AM

Tori's case continues to bring awareness to Child Find
October 5, 2009
<snipped>
The executive director of Child Find Ontario said an awakening has occurred in Oxford County and across Canada following the disappearance and death of eight-year-old Victoria Stafford.

"This tragedy has affected everyone really. In terms of what transpired with Victoria missing and then found tragically, this has hit a sore nerve in many people," Child Find's John Lattimore Durant said.

Representatives from Child Find attended a fundraising dance for the organization Saturday at Ingersoll's CAW Hall. The hall was decorated in purple, Victoria's favourite colour, and pictures of other missing children lined the walls.

The community continued to show its support Saturday night during a fundraising event for Child Find Ontario at the CAW Hall in Ingersoll. Left to right, event organizer, Heather Downer, Rodney Stafford, event organizer, Sandra Roes, Terry Smith from Child Find and John Durant from Child Find stand with a picture of Victoria Stafford.
http://woodstock.gallery.siteseer.ca/cache/derivative/3/0/30074.dat

Dad tells of journey in memory of daughter
Rodney Stafford has been raising funds across the country for Child Find Canada in honour of Tori
October 7, 2009
<snipped>

THAT'S MY GIRL: Rodney Stafford holds up an altered photo depicting him and his late daughter Tori standing on a mountain near Jasper, Alberta. He was speaking at the annual general meeting of Muskoka Victim Services.
http://multimedia.simcoe.com/images/6d/9f/b165296449a4a2f512296574cec1.jpeg

Article:
http://www.huntsvilleforester.com/article/146896
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Amber alert changes can’t come soon enough: prof
Faculty member offers family support in song
Wednesday, 7 October 2009
<snipped>
[COLOR="Indigo"]There are four points of criteria in order for the police to issue an Amber Alert: the child must be younger than 18, the child must be confirmed as missing, police must have enough information about the child to render a search possible and they must believe that the child is significantly endangered.

Frank Marchese, a psychology professor at York, was particularly touched by the suffering of the Stafford family.

Marchese supports an online petition called “Tori’s Law,” signed by over 20,000 people, to get the police to review and change the Amber Alert system to help young children like Tori.

http://www.excal.on.ca/cms2/images/stories/2009-10-07/p6.jpg

Article:
http://www.excal.on.ca/cms2/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=7450
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Tori's death gives dad purpose
Trying to live life daughter would have wanted
October 13, 2009
<snipped>
Tori would have been proud of the man her father has become.

"It's the thing that keeps me going ... that what I am doing would have made her happy," says Rodney Stafford. "Yes, I think she would have been proud."

Stafford, who admitted to doing drugs, was a drifter and often wasn't around for his children. Victoria, known as Tori, changed that. In February, he cleaned up, moved back home to Ingersoll, Ont., and returned to school.

He starts school on Oct. 30 and has one credit to complete. Before Tori went missing, he had set his heart on working with Corrections Canada. Now he sees himself working with children – he doesn't know yet how but he says there's nothing else he wants to do.

It's his way of staying close to his daughter and making up. He visits the cemetery every week, lies down on the grass next to her grave and talks – mostly apologizing.

Article:
http://www.thespec.com/News/CanadaWorld/article/652375
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Rodney Stafford speaks to Muskoka Victim Services
October 14, 2009
<snipped>
Muskoka Victim Services held its 11th annual general meeting on Sept. 30 at Partners Hall in Huntsville. The meeting was attended by approximately 50 people.

Stafford advised there are over 60,000 children missing in Canada each year, and over 26,000 in Ontario alone. He encouraged the public to do what it can to help.

Article:
http://www.gravenhurstbanner.com/article/147463
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Video: One of the accused in the Tori Stafford murder appears in court
Updated Fri. Oct. 16 2009 2:06 PM ET
One of the two people accused in the death of Tori Stafford made a video court appearance today. But Michael Rafferty appeared from Chatham rather than London. His lawyer did not explain the move.
http://southwesternontario.ctv.ca/news.php?id=6002
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Accused in Stafford Murder Back in Court
Fri, 2009-10-16 12:31.
<snipped>
Rafferty's next appearance is set for November 12th.

Terri-Lynne McClintic, who is also charged with murder and kidnapping, will near appear in court on November 27th.

His counsel, Laura Giordano would not provide details yesterday on the reasons for the move. "I can't comment as to why he was moved."

Article:
http://www.chathamdailynews.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2133960
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Rafferty moved to Chatham
October 16, 2009
<snipped>
“I can’t comment as to why he was moved,” said associate Laura Giordano of the law firm Derstine Penman. “I can tell you that we are vigorously defending Mr. Rafferty. That we are in the process of setting dates for a preliminary hearing. That we’re hoping will happen soon.”

Giordano did say Rafferty hadn’t been at the facility long and that she had visited Rafferty in his new home.

“I did go to see him and at this point I’m not about to speak of his treatment,” she said. “We may be able to comment more on this at a later date.”

Rafferty, dressed in prison orange with his arms behind his back, learned that there will be a continuation of judicial pretrial on Oct. 30.

Article:
http://www.oxfordreview.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2133965
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Stafford's family outraged at suspect's move to smaller jail
Last Updated: 17th October 2009, 2:53am
<snipped>
But one of the sources that tipped off Sun Media about the move said Rafferty had made several complaints about the mail delivery, phone access and taunting by guards and other inmates at the EMDC.

Especially upsetting to Rafferty were threats from members of the Bandidos motorcycle gang, also held at the EMDC on murder charges, the source said.

Rafferty's life is much quieter and more casual at the Chatham jail, where he's held by himself in an area usually quartering four people, the source said.

He's allowed more privileges, such as snacks and access to a television, the source said.

"Our family is absolutely outraged. There is no way that he should be receiving any sort of special treatment," she told Sun Media. "It's not a vacation. He shouldn't be able to have a choice about where he is incarcerated."

Tori's father donates thousands to Child Find
Last Updated: 30th October 2009, 1:55pm
<snipped>
The amount of money he raised -- $46,687.78 -- was simply overwhelming to the child-safety advocacy group.

"They were very impressed," Stafford said after the presentation at Woodstock city hall. "Child Find is pretty overwhelmed with the . . . amount of support out there."

Most of the money was raised during Stafford's Kilometres for Kids bike trek from Woodstock to Edmonton, which he began as a tribute to his slain daughter, Victoria.

"There's still more donations," Stafford said. "That's not actually a final total yet."

Rafferty lawyer asks public to keep 'open mind'
November 12, 2009
Updated 31 mins ago
<snipped>
Appearing by video from the Chatham Jail, Rafferty, 28, was quiet during his few moments in court, speaking only when asked to confirm his name. Assistant Crown attorney Michael Carnegie told the court that arrangements for preliminary hearing dates would be made in the near future.

With another "pre-trial discussion" scheduled for Dec. 4, the case was adjourned until Dec. 18 to allow for continued disclosure of evidence.

Terri-Lynn McClintic, the 19-year-old woman also accused of Tori Stafford's murder, is next scheduled to appear in court on Nov. 27.

The amount of money he raised -- $46,687.78 -- was simply overwhelming to the child-safety advocacy group.

The money raised during Stafford's trip came from all over the world, with donations and encouragement pouring in from the United States and even Europe.

Even with the ride over, donations are still arriving. Following their visit to Woodstock, the Child Find directors travelled to Ingersoll to pick up a $2,300 cheque from a recent fundraising dance.

Article:
http://www.lfpress.com/news/london/2009/10/30/11574716-sun.html
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'Keep open mind' about Tori accused
Last Updated: 13th November 2009, 5:07am
<snipped>
Following a brief court appearance by Michael Rafferty, lawyer Laura Giordano said the public needed "to keep an open mind" about her client.

Appearing by video from the Chatham Jail, Rafferty, 28, was quiet during his few moments in court, speaking only when asked to confirm his name. Assistant Crown attorney Michael Carnegie told the court that arrangements for preliminary hearing dates would be made in the near future.

With another "pre-trial discussion" scheduled for Dec. 4, the case was adjourned until Dec. 18 to allow for continued disclosure of evidence.

Article:
http://www.torontosun.com/news/canada/2009/11/13/11732086-sun.html
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Police make donation in Tori's memory
Standing in front of a portrait of his daughter, Rodney Stafford presents the police donation to Terry Smith, the assistant director of Child Find Ontario.
November 13, 2009
<snipped>
Standing in front of a portrait of his "angel," Rodney Stafford accepted the police donation to Child Find Ontario with a grateful smile.

"Thank you," he said during the presentation at Woodstock's former John Deere plant. "I definitely can't say thank you enough."

Raised through donations from OPP officers across the province and their Woodstock Police Service colleagues, the $3,724.50 donation to the not-for-profit Child Find Ontario brought the total raised through Stafford's Kilometres for Kids to more than $50,000.

Stafford also hinted that something was in the works for next summer.

"It means more than I can actually say," Smith said. "What Rodney has done — has been able to accomplish for Child Find … is phenomenal.

McClintic waived her right for a preliminary hearing, agreeing to go directly to trial.

Justice Marietta Roberts informed McClintic that on March 12, 2010 at 10 a.m. McClinic will make an appearance in assignment court in Superior Court to set future dates.

The trial will be held in front of a judge and jury.

Article:
http://www.oxfordreview.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2224441
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Tori murder suspect waives right to preliminary trial
Updated: Wed Dec. 16 2009 11:39:47 AM
<snipped>
McClintic is one of two people charged with first-degree murder and kidnapping in connection with the child's death. McClintic's former boyfriend Michael Rafferty has said he will plead not guilty to the charges.

Jeanine LeRoy, the lawyer representing the teenaged girl, said her client made the decision because she is "mentally ready to deal with the matter."

Her trial date is expected to be set on March 12.

Terri-Lynn McClintic is taken into police custody on May 20, 2009.
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ImageShrinker?http://images.ctv.ca/archives/CTVNews/img2/20091216/470_suspect_091216.jpg,430,241

Article:
http://toronto.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20091216/tori_murder_091216/20091216/?hub=TorontoNewHome
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Top videos on lfpress.com
Last Updated: 16th December 2009, 1:27pm
<snipped>
1. The Tori Stafford tragedy Videos chronicling the search for the missing Woodstock girl and subsequent arrests in her slaying accounted for a majority of the most viewed videos at lfpress.com. The one from the day the girl's parents aired out their personal grievances at a press conference ranked on top.
*NOTE: Many videos from the case are included in this link!

Article:
http://www.lfpress.com/news/london/2009/12/16/12176816.html
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Book outrages Tori's family
Release 'could potentially ruin the trial:' Dad
Last Updated: 17th December 2009, 4:23am
<snipped>
With a Christmas bereft of his eight-year-old daughter looming, the timing of the book couldn't be any worse, Stafford said.

"It's getting really hard right now. Christmas was a big thing for Tori," Stafford said. "I am going to do everything I can to get this book out of here."

Tori's mother, Tara McDonald, declined comment.

The book's author, Dianna Holden, broke her media silence yesterday to say she meant no harm to the family.

"I didn't write this to personally attack anybody. I didn't want to re-open a wound."

Holden said she wrote the book to show how speculation fuelled by the media and the Internet complicated the case and may have led to the wrong people being behind bars.

The book, Convicted of Murder and Abduction Online: Based on the True Story of the Abduction and Murder of Victoria Stafford Canada's Angel, can be ordered or downloaded online.
*Much more info at link!

[Well after sitting here reading almost non stop for several days ...Just found this site a few days ago and it is Sun. Dec.27 2009!..I have read almost all of it....My oldest son came in one morning and said"Mom have you slept tonight....? "You know my answer was NOPE! WOW did this case ever touch my heart! I am a single mom of 2 teenage boys with very little support.So ya Life' s tough sometimes and I understand How Tori's Dad had the determination to turn something horrendous into something really UNBELIEVEABLE!I just finished reading about his bike Journeyand when I saw the sign Ste Salute Marie.....I almost croaked as it is a 10 hour car drive from here!I never realized how far his trip was to Edmonton! I remember the first night she went missing I was sick with a surgical procedure and I had to clean my stomach and I watch CP24 all night! Tears kept appearing and by the end of reading his trip the tears were back!I used to teach children Tori's age!
Well I really want to express my deepest sympathy to the Stafford family! I am sure I will raise quite a few hairs when I say what has been on my mind since April 8 and that was before reading all of the tags on this wonderful site! I found this site by accident during a google search for some info . on what is going on .....?I did that every few weeks...until her body was found on my youngest son's birthday! I still maintain I feel deeply for Tori's Mom....who is to say how ANOTHER MOM "WOULD or Should" behave? I know my reaction would have been more like Tori's Dad but everyone is an INDIVIDUAL...I have had my problems bringing up 2 boys on my own...and 2 kids with severe learning difficulties! Who is to cast a "SHADOW" in this decade on someone who needs pain / pills to surive? I have to inject myself with insulin every day !
Yes I agree her contection to Terri lynn the accused sounds real STRANGE ? I agree the dog connection and her stories changing at times is strange ! LET us all remember though she lost her precious angel..baby girl!!!I do not like all the character discredit that has been dished out ! I will play devil's advict and suppose it comes out in court that the aduction was drug related to oxcytoxin STILL a little girls life was taken away @ not even 9 a grade 3 student ....THK GD for those video camaras across the road! I live in Richmond hill (north)and all the new elementry schools here have them! NO I DO NOT KNOW Michael Rafferty ! I know the high school he went too( not that far away}I know the dating site he was on and it gave me the creeps as it was free and there are lots of strange ones on there!...OMG!
I must mention one VERY important thing for both of those parents and I signed into facebook and sent Tori's aunt a note which I know she probably never recieved..But one of the BEST HEALING BOOKS IS Melody Beatties affirmation book..... "The Language of Letting Go"! It has helped me thru many troubled times being a single mom bringing up my boys from a young age on my own! I guess what I am trying to say to all the other kind SOULS here do not cast stones on someone elses pond unless you have walked thru it! It is so easy to past judgement on others and who are we to do that ! We are all individual Souls on our own JOURNEY in this lifetime! Thanks for letting me express my own ideas on something I feel so deeply about.....Hope not to offend others not my purpose ....but than that is their journey to past judgement! May G_d watch over Tori and her family as they approach COURT...may their higher spirit sounds like from Michael Rafferty's lawyer it might not be til late fall or even...2011 that his trial starts that court room so justice is done here as a child is gone way before her time! ....robynhood

Angel Who Cares

12-30-2009, 08:53 AM

Co-accused in Stafford slaying to plead not guilty, opts for preliminary hearing
Dec 18, 2009
<snipped>
The lawyer for the man charged with first-degree murder and kidnapping in Tori Stafford's slaying says her client will plead not guilty when the case goes to trial.

Attorney Laura Giordano says Michael Rafferty has elected to have a preliminary hearing, which is tentatively scheduled to run from June 21 through July 13.

Rafferty is of two people charged in Stafford's death.

His co-accused, Terri-Lynne McClintic, earlier this week waived her right to a preliminary hearing and chose instead to go straight to trial.

She said a hearing will be held Feb. 17 to confirm the dates for a preliminary hearing.

Article:
http://www.google.com/hostednews/canadianpress/article/ALeqM5hy_T1wsZ6wpRK_OlXo6t_AGbnEJQ
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Female suspect in Tori Stafford killing will go directly to trial
Friday, December 18, 2009
<snipped>
One of the people accused in the disappearance and killing of eight-year-old Tori Stafford earlier this year has waived her right to a preliminary hearing.

Terri-Lynne McClintic, 19, appeared in a Woodstock courtroom Wednesday.

McClintic will go directly to trial, once dates are set at a later court appearance in March.

Terri-Lynne McClintic, 19, (left) is charged with first-degree murder in the death of 8-year-old Tori Stafford (right).
http://a123.g.akamai.net/f/123/41524/1d/www.globaltoronto.com/Female+suspect+Tori+Stafford+killing+will+directly +trial/2347733/2347777.bin?size=sw380nws

Article:
http://www.globaltoronto.com/Female+suspect+Tori+Stafford+killing+will+directly +trial/2347733/story.html
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Preliminary hearing dates set for Stafford accused
COURTS: The lawyer for Michael Rafferty says his client will plead not guilty; his co-accused has opted to go straight to trial
Last Updated: 21st December 2009, 11:46am
<snipped>
With key court dates now set, Southwestern Ontarians could know by summer what may become of two people charged in Victoria Stafford's slaying.

Michael Rafferty appeared via video in Woodstock court yesterday, when Crown Attorney Brian Crockett said a preliminary hearing for the 28-year-old -- charged with murder and kidnapping in the eight-year-old girl's death -- is slated for between June 21 and July 13, 2010.

"Mr. Rafferty is prepared to plead not guilty," said his lawyer, Laura Giordano of the Toronto firm Derstine Penman.

A preliminary hearing is held to determine if there's enough evidence to commit charges to trial.

Giordano, Rafferty's lawyer, yesterday urged the public to remain open-minded as the case wends its way through the courts.

"I would ask the public to be patient," she said. "This will all come out at trial."

Stafford plans second bike ride in support of Child Find Ontario
Jan 20, 2010 03:41:03 AM
<snipped>
In an effort to attract more attention to Child Find Ontario, Rodney Stafford is planning another bike ride across the country.

He says this time he plans to bring along his 11-year-old son Daryn.

Stafford set out last August on a trip from Woodstock to Edmonton. The next journey would begin in Edmonton in June and end in Woostock.

Stafford's daughter Tori was abducted and murdered last April. Her body was found five months later. Two Woodstock residents have been charged with her murder.

Michael Rafferty remanded after hearing in Stafford murder case
February 17, 2010
<snipped>
A man accused in the abduction and slaying of Woodstock schoolgirl Tori Stafford appeared by video while lawyers discussed legal issues at a closed hearing today.
Michael Rafferty, 29, was remanded in custody until April 23.

The Crown and defence discussed legal issues involving Rafferty in advance of a preliminary hearing.
Late last year, Crown attorney Brian Crockett said a preliminary hearing will be scheduled between June 21 and July 13.

Rafferty's co-accused, 19-year-old Terri-Lynn McClintic, has waived her right to a preliminary hearing. McClintic will go directly to trial once dates are set at a court appearance in March.
Both suspects are charged with first-degree murder and kidnapping in the death of eight-year-old Tori.

Article:
http://www.thespec.com/News/BreakingNews/article/723581

Angel Who Cares

02-19-2010, 02:00 AM

Oxford County : Rafferty Back in Court in April
2010/2/18 6:40:33
<snipped>
The man accused of abduction and first degree murder in the Victoria Stafford case will return to court in April. Media was not allowed in a focus meeting held at a Woodstock courtroom yesterday morning where the Crown and defence discussed legal issues surrounding the case. Rafferty was then remained back into custody until April 23. A preliminary hearing is expected in June or July of this year. Rafferty's co-accused Terri-Lynn McClintic has waived her right to a preliminary hearing and will have a trial date set when she appears in court next month.

http://cd989.com/uploads/thumbs/433ac1a2-2731-d3e4.jpg

Article:
http://cd989.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=19040

Angel Who Cares

03-14-2010, 08:11 PM

Case of woman charged in Stafford slaying held over
Friday Mar. 12, 2010 11:33 AM ET
<snipped>
The case against one of two people charged in the death of eight-year-old Tori Stafford has been put over to April 16.

Terri-Lynn McClintic, 19, earlier waived her right to a preliminary hearing to allow the case to go directly to trial.

A judicial pretrial, a private meeting between the Crown, defence and the judge, will be held before McClintic's next appearance on the 16th.

McClintic's co-accused, Michael Rafferty, appeared in court last month via video and was ordered remanded in custody until April 23.

Terri-Lynn McClintic is taken into police custody on May 20, 2009.
http://images.ctv.ca/archives/CTVNews/img2/20091216/470_suspect_091216.jpg

The parents of Victoria Stafford said Friday morning that they want the trials of the two people charged with their daughter's murder to start soon. "It's to the point that we're both ready for it, I think," said Rodney Stafford. "It's important to find out a little bit of what is going on," he said.

LeRoy and assistant Crown attorney Geoff Beasley agreed to have the case adjourned to April 16 at 9:30 am.

McDonald, speaking for the first time publicly since her daughter's remains were found last July, said she came to court for the first time Friday to get a feel of what the process will be like. "It's more trying to prepare ourselves for what is ahead of us," she said. "We want to get use to the courtroom setting, having to see them in person or by video camera."

McDonald said her decision to get out of the public eye was made to protect the couple's son Daryn.

Article:
http://www.oxfordreview.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2489386
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Oxford County : Accused in Stafford Murder Appears in Court
2010/3/12 12:48:48
<snipped>
A judicial pretrial has been set for the woman accused in the kidnapping and murder of Victoria Stafford of Woodstock. Nineteen-year-old Terri-Lynne McClintic is charged with first-degree murder in the death of the 8 year-old, who was abducted in April as she was on her way home from school. The meeting will take place between now and April 16th - her next scheduled court appearance. McClintic's case will go directly to trial after she and her lawyer waived her right to a preliminary hearing. Her co-accused, Michael Rafferty, will appear in court April 23rd.

Article:
http://cd989.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=19279
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Tori's parents want to see accused killers
Last Updated: March 12, 2010 1:48pm
<snipped>
The mother of Victoria ‘Tori’ Stafford made a surprise appearance at a court hearing Friday for one of the two people accused in the little girl’s abduction and killing.

Tara McDonald had not spoken to the media since the body of her daughter was found in July and has avoided all court proceedings.

“We want to get used to the courtroom setting,” she said outside the courtroom with her former husband, and Tori's father, Rodney Stafford. “It is trying to prepare ourselves for what we have ahead of us.” McDonald had expected to see accused Terri-Lynn McClintic appear via video from jail. Instead, London lawyer Jeanine LeRoy appeared on behalf of her client. The proceedings were adjourned until April 16.

McDonald said she wanted to see McClintic by video as a first step to seeing the woman charged with killing her daughter in person. “So we can have our chance to look at them and not have them looking at us,” she explained.

But Stafford, who has been to several of the court hearings, said he’s tired of seeing the accused only by video. “I kind of wish they were there so they can get a sense of us sitting in the courtroom so they know just exactly what happened and how we feel about it.”

Article:
http://www.torontosun.com/news/canada/2010/03/12/13208886.html
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Tori Stafford's mother breaks her silence
3/12/10
<snipped>
The mother of Victoria (Tori) Stafford broke her eight-month silence and made a surprise appearance Friday at a court hearing for the woman accused of killing her little girl.

"I just have decided it is time to start coming and prepare for the trials ahead," Tara McDonald said. "It's going to be tough. It's going to take a lot of strength."

But in her typical fiery fashion, McDonald also had a warning for any lawyers hoping to strike a deal for either accused. "I will raise hell. I will round up as many people as I can to raise hell. What kind of deal did my daughter get?"

Both of Tori's parents Friday expressed frustration with the slow process of getting McClintic and co-accused Michael Rafferty to trial. "It's almost a year later and we still don't know anything more than we knew 29 days after she disappeared," Stafford said.

The parents said they were bracing themselves for the year anniversary of Tori's disappearance.

"I am leaving it up to Daryn, (Tori's 12-year-old brother)," McDonald said. "If he wants to go to the cemetery, or look through pictures, it will be his call." Her son has spent the better part of a year trying to come to terms with what happened.

Article:
http://www.theobserver.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2490454

Angel Who Cares

04-03-2010, 02:50 PM

Oxford County : Bike Used In Charity Ride To Raise Additional Funds
2010/3/15
<snipped>
Ahead of another planned charity bicycle ride this summer, Rodney Stafford says the bike he rode last year from Woodstock to Edmonton in memory of daughter Victoria is going the distance - again. The ride was aimed at raising money and awareness for Child Find, who afterward put the bike up for auction to raise additional funds. That bike, which was sold for $2000, has been donated back to the agency with the hopes of it being sold again and again to further raise funds. The proceeds will be divided among the provinces Stafford cycled through - Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta.

Article:
http://cd989.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=19300
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Stafford's bicycle sells at auction
3/17/10
<snipped>
Even when he's not on the road, Rodney Stafford's "Kilometres for Kids" is raising money for Child Find.

The most recent addition to the total -- a cheque for $2,000 -- was raised by auctioning the 27-speed "asphalt" bike that he used to cycle the 3,453 kilometres from the parking lot of Calvary Church to Edmonton, Alta. Donated by Hear-Med Inc., Stafford always planned to auction the powder blue Kona Sutra at the conclusion of his epic journey.

Stafford and his son, Daryn, are planning a sequel to the first journey. Kilometres for Kids 2 -- A Sibling's Story is slated to begin near Jasper, Alta., on June 20. The two Stafford men will begin on Whistler's Mountain, the peak that has become symbolic of Tori's memory, and cycle the nearly 3,500 kilometres to Woodstock.

Article:
http://www.oxfordreview.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2495265

Justice07

04-08-2010, 06:44 PM

A year later and darkness hovers

How far will she stray into darkness?

What light can guide her back home?

Each and every day for the past 365, Tara McDonald tries to find her way, pulled in opposite directions by the forces of darkness and light.

Female suspect in Tori Stafford killing will go directly to trial
December 18, 2009
<snipped>
One of the people accused in the disappearance and killing of eight-year-old Tori Stafford earlier this year has waived her right to a preliminary hearing.

Terri-Lynne McClintic, 19, appeared in a Woodstock courtroom Wednesday.

McClintic will go directly to trial, once dates are set at a later court appearance in March.

Article:
http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/canada/Female+suspect+Tori+Stafford+killing+will+directly +trial/2347733/story.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Tori's family says she's 'alive in us now'
Updated: Wed Apr. 07 2010 8:07:36 PM
<snipped>
It was April 8, 2009, when the girl, clad in her Hannah Montana jacket, failed to return home from school in Woodstock, Ont., setting off a desperate search that touched hearts countrywide. It was also likely the same day she was killed, though her remains were not found until more than three months later.

Thursday will be a lot tougher than April 8 last year for her dad, Rodney Stafford. Last April 8 there was hope. "It's actually harder this year than it was last year," he said. "Last year I wanted to get the story out there to bring her home. This year I know she's not coming back."

Holidays and birthdays are especially tough, but the Staffords take care to include Tori. Last Easter she had already been missing for four days and her dad bought her Easter treats to give his "baby girl" upon her return. This year for Easter, the family took some flowers to her grave.

For Halloween, her family brought to her grave a little witch decoration that cackled when the wind blew. It would have made Tori giggle, Graichen said. They visited her on Christmas, too, and her aunt Randi Millen left a candy cane on her grave.

The family tries to focus on the good times and the laughter they shared with Victoria, but they say they can't properly deal with their grief when they have no answers.

Millen, who gave birth to a daughter months after Victoria disappeared, dreams about her niece almost every night and will wake up in a cold sweat after having nightmares about Victoria crying. "I'm having a hard time coping," she said. "I think about her 20, 30 times a day."

Tori's young cousins are having a hard time coming to terms with her death, too. Millen's seven-year-old daughter, who spent a lot of time playing with Tori, has nightmares too, where she sees "bad things happening to Tori," Millen said. "She's afraid of what happened to Tori happening to her," she said.
*More at link!

Doreen Graichen (left) and Randi Millen, Victoria (Tori) Stafford's grandmother and aunt, tie a new bouquet of flowers with a photo of Tori to a pole at Millen's home in Woodstock, Ont., Wednesday, April 7, 2010.
http://images.ctv.ca/archives/CTVNews/img2/20100407/450_cp_stafford_100407.jpg

Article:
http://toronto.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20100407/tori_stafford_100407/20100407/?hub=TorontoNewHome
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dark cloud hangs over Tori's family
One year after daughter's death, mom doesn't think of should-haves
April 8, 2010
<snipped>
How far will she stray into darkness?

What light can guide her back home?

Each and every day for the past 365, Tara McDonald tries to find her way, pulled in opposite directions by the forces of darkness and light.

“It’s like this big dark cloud hanging over our future and we can’t get past it. We don’t know what’s past it. We don’t know what’s underneath it. We don’t know what it is going to be like to go through it. We just know that it is there.”

The last time she saw Tori alive was “that day.” There is no need to attach a date to it for Tori’s family.

She thinks of the day often, but tries to see it in a good light.

“I never want to think of the could have would have should haves because so many people have said, ‘If you had of gone and got your kid that day.’ I can’t think of that because that would kill ... ” McDonald says.

Instead, she thinks of how good the morning was. Tori was never a morning person and she and her mother often scrapped over what to wear to school, over combing her hair, over putting on lip gloss.

“It was diva drama queen every morning,” McDonald says.

“That morning ... it was a special day because her friends were going to come over after school and watch High School Musical 3. So I let her wear a skirt. I let her wear leotards. I let her wear my headband. I let her wear my earrings. I put my lip gloss on her. There were days often I dolled her up and made her look so cute. She was my little girl.”

That morning, Tori was at her best, her cutest.

“I try to look back on that day. I look at it from when she left for school and that’s it. I don’t think about... ”
*Much more at link!

Article:
http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Canada/2010/04/07/13502831-qmi.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sad Anniversary For Tori Stafford’s Family
2010/04/08
<snipped>
Terri-Lynne McClintic and Michael Rafferty are charged with first-degree murder and kidnapping. Investigators haven’t revealed details of what they believe happened in Tori’s final hours and those unanswered questions have made it that much harder for her family. "I pray that this eases as time goes by, but not having any answers is the worst," Graichen said. "We don't want to know but we do want to know."

Tori’s case sparked an overhaul of Ontario’s Amber Alert program after the Oxford Community Police force came under fire for not issuing the clarion call immediately. The investigators said the case didn’t fulfill the criteria for an Amber Alert.

Before the changes were implemented, authorities had to confirm a child had been abducted, believe that child was in danger of serious harm or death and have a description of the child and a suspect or vehicle.

Police now only have to believe a child has been abducted and is in danger. They can also issue an alert without descriptions of a suspect or vehicle.

Article:
http://www.citytv.com/toronto/citynews/news/local/article/74034--sad-anniversary-for-tori-stafford-s-family
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
'She's alive in us now,' Victoria Stafford's family says
Thursday, April 8, 2010 | 10:23 AM ET
<snipped>
It has been one year since Victoria "Tori" Stafford's family last held the bright, smiling eight-year-old or saw her trudge off to school with her big brother.

She missed a lot in the past year: two family weddings, a new baby cousin and numerous holidays and milestones when the absence of a loved one is most acutely felt.

Police have been tight-lipped about what they allege happened after Victoria was seen on surveillance video being led away from her school. Her remains were found in July, 2009 north of Guelph, Ont.

The case against McClintic has been held over until April 16. McClintic earlier waived her right to a preliminary hearing to allow the case to go directly to trial.

McClintic's co-accused, Rafferty, appeared in court in February via video link and was ordered remanded in custody until April 23. This year is a lot tougher than April 8 last year, said Victoria's dad, Rodney Stafford.

Stafford and his 11-year-old son Daryn are riding from Edmonton to Woodstock starting on June 20 on a journey they're calling Kilometres for Kids 2: A Sibling's Story. It's the second bike ride to raise money for Child Find Ontario in his daughter's memory.

Article:
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/windsor/story/2010/04/08/toronto-tori-stafford-anniversary.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Year later, still no answer why Tori Stafford abducted, slain
April 8, 2010
<snipped>
Two Woodstock residents —Terri-Lynne McClintic and Michael Rafferty — have since been charged with first-degree murder in the girl's death. The relationship between the accused and Tori, if one exists, has not been established. Their criminal trials have yet to begin.

To Tori's family, the last year, beginning with her disappearance on April 8, 2009, has been a lifetime. "It's hard to explain," said Tori's father, Rodney Stafford, his voice breaking. "Some days it feels like she disappeared just yesterday. Some days, it feels like it was forever ago."

He said one issue is that no one, not even the family, understands why Tori was snatched on her way home after school that day.

Nor are there answers about why she was killed, or how little Tori ended up in that field, nearly 130 kilometres away from home. "It is still hard, still really hard. We still don't have any answers to anything. Everybody has been really frustrated by it," said Stafford. "We've come to terms about what has happened, that there was nothing we could done about it."
*Much more at link!

Article:
http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/TORI/2777936/story.html

:angel:

Angel Who Cares

04-27-2010, 12:51 PM

Tori's mom frustrated
April 16, 2010 12:13pm
<snipped>
"It is frustrating," Tara McDonald said before a court appearance of Terri-Lynne McClintic. "If she has given up her right to a preliminary hearing let's get the ball rolling."

McClintic's case was adjourned until April 30. Co-accused Michael Rafferty is to make his next court appearance next Friday.

Article:
http://www.torontosun.com/news/canada/2010/04/16/13610876.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Woman Charged in Stafford Murder Appears In Court
2010/4/16 12:10:00
<snipped>
The lawyer for one of two people charged in the death of Tori Stafford has asked for more time to prepare. 19 year old Terri-Lynne McClintic made a brief court appearance in Woodstock today. McClintic has waived her right to a preliminary hearing and will go straight to trial. She will return to court April 30. The other accused in the crime, Michael Rafferty, returns to court next Friday.

Article:
http://cd989.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=19606
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Tori's family return to hometown
April 17, 2010
<snipped>
The mother and brother of a little girl abducted and killed last year have returned to their hometown, after spending months hiding from intense public and media attention. "I'm happy to be home," Tara McDonald said Friday.

McDonald attended a court hearing Friday for Terri-Lynne McClintic, one of the two people accused of abduction and murder.

McClintic did not appear by video or in person Friday, but her lawyer, Jeanine LeRoy, asked the case be adjourned to April 30. Co-accused Michael Rafferty, expected to plead not guilty, next appears in court April 23 with a preliminary hearing possible this summer.
*More at link!

Article:
http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Crime/2010/04/17/13622686-qmi.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Father and son looking forward to journey
Kilometres for Kids 2
Updated 3 days ago
<snipped>
The next Kilometres for Kids fundraising journey should bring even more attention to the plight of missing children, a confident Rodney Stafford said Friday.

Stafford, who returned from Alberta last week after a private remembrance on the anniversary of his daughter's disappearance, said the planning for the 2010 trip guarantees the journey will be "bigger and better."

This year, Stafford will be joined on the road by his don Daryn, who turns 12 this weekend. The new Kilometres for Kids journey has been dubbed "A Sibling's Story," and Stafford said his son was looking forward to the shared adventure. "He's got no choice now," Stafford joked. "It's all set. He's very excited."
*More at link!

“Not just for Tori,” he added, “but for all the kids.” Rafferty’s appearance was simply a formality, allowing his defence lawyer and the Crown attorney to confirm the dates for his preliminary hearing.

Standing in front of a wall at the Chatham Jail, a pale, bearded Rafferty was silent as the two lawyers agreed the hearing would run June 21 to July 13.

Article:
http://www.torontosun.com/news/canada/2010/04/23/13692861.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Court appearance for accused in Tori Stafford death
Friday, April 23, 2010
<snipped>
Michael Rafferty made a brief court appearance via video Friday in Woodstock, allowing Crown and defence attorneys to schedule his preliminary hearing from June 21 to July 13.

Rafferty is charged with first-degree murder and kidnapping related to the disappearance of the third-grader. Terri-Lynne McClintic, another resident of Woodstock, also faces the same charges. She's scheduled to make a court appearance on April 30.

A decision made by the Supreme Court of Canada Thursday allows us to report some details of the April trial and conviction of Terri-Lynne McClintic for the murder of Victoria Stafford. This information was covered by a sweeping publication ban until now.

On a cool April afternoon in 2009, Terri-Lynne McClintic approached the first young girl she saw walking toward her from Oliver Stephens public school in Woodstock, Ont.. Striking up a conversation with an outgoing eight-year-old named Victoria Stafford, Ms. McClintic began chatting about Shih Tzu dogs.

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<full article at link>>>>>>>>>>>>>

fran

04-10-2011, 03:49 PM

Trial in Tori Stafford murder scheduled for Jan. 2012
April 6, 2011

TORONTO — The high-profile trial of a man accused in the 2009 abduction and killing of eight-year-old Victoria "Tori" Stafford from Woodstock, Ont., will start next year.

http://storage.canoe.ca/v1/dynamic_resize/?src=http://www.ottawasun.com/news/decision2011/2011/04/12/toristafford248.jpg&size=248x186
TORONTO - An "abduction-murder" law with a mandatory life sentence and no chance of parole would reduce the number of tragic cases where children are kidnapped and killed, a criminal defence lawyer said Tuesday.

"Tori Stafford didn't need to die," said Robert Geurts, a former Crown attorney for 12 years and a defence lawyer for 10 years.

Stafford was taken from her southwestern Ontario hometown of Woodstock and killed in April 2009.

Terri-Lynne McClintic, 20, pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and received a mandatory life sentence in December for luring the eight-year-old girl, but under the current legislation, McClintic will be eligible for parole in 25 years.

An ironclad life sentence would deter sexual predators and their accomplices from committing these crimes, Geurts said.

This isn’t about Michael Rafferty, or Terri-Lynne McClintic either – this is about Tori Stafford. How better to honor her memory than to ensure, as she asked one of her kidnappers moments before her death, someone doesn’t “do it again”?

There was no one around in a rural area of Mount Forest to hear Tori's screams, and cries for help, on April 8th 2009.

Read it on Global News: Global BC | McClintic told police Rafferty killed Tori Stafford; now she says it was her

matou

03-17-2012, 11:33 AM

How will Tori’s parents ever move forward?

Given his daughter’s abduction and murder and the utter brutality of her final minutes, it’s little wonder Rodney Stafford this week described the roiling cauldron of emotions inside him as “a lot of hostility, a lot of hate.”

The jury had watched portions of the video last week but had been cautioned by Justice Thomas Heeney that they couldn't use the videotape as evidence in the case against Rafferty.

But Justice Heeney told jurors Wednesday morning that jurors can now consider the statement as part of the evidence. However, Heeney reminded jurors that what McClintic said in the police interview is not considered sworn testimony.

LONDON, ONT.—In the self-referential way of a self-absorbed teenage girl with a huge propensity for self-aggrandizing rants, Terri-Lynne McClintic routinely signed off on letters to friends from inside stir as: “We murderuz *****ez.’’

Blatchford: McClintic had no reason to lie about Tori's slaughter (video)

Though the jurors don't have to determine who actually killed Tori in order to reach a verdict here, one question remains, not fully answered either by McClintic in the witness box or in the May 24 video: Why on Earth would she have bothered to lie about which of them was the killer when by both accounts, she surely sunk herself, and so seriously implicated Rafferty?

I'm posting this here because it has links to the evidence presented so far.

Rafferty trial Day 12

9:20
Mike Knoll: @Kelly - there's three evidence videos amongst all here too: http://www.lfpress.com/video/
9:19
Mike Knoll: @Kelly - here's some more: http://www.lfpress.com/news/london/raffertytrial/2012/03/07/19473431.html
9:19
Mike Knoll: @Kelly - here's some: http://www.lfpress.com/news/london/raffertytrial/2012/03/14/19503411.html
9:18
Comment From kelly
where can you go to see all the evidence that is presented and shared with the media? Is there a site that has it all with pictures and videos?

But in a dramatic cross-examination, defence lawyer Dirk Derstine said Ms. McClintic actually chose to abduct the child and bring her to Mr. Rafferty’s car, telling her boyfriend that the girl had been taken to settle a drug debt.

Rafferty's lawyer Dirk Derstine portrayed his client as an innocent dupe, totally unaware of why his girlfriend shoved a girl into his car the afternoon of April 8, 2009, near a Woodstock, Ont., elementary school. Conversely, Derstine portrayed McClintic as a hardened criminal with an insatiable thirst for violence.

matou

03-23-2012, 06:09 PM

'Rage-filled’ McClintic took Tori Stafford as collateral for a drug debt: Rafferty defence

After three excruciating weeks of evidence, most of it from convicted killer Terri-Lynne McClintic, the focus of the trial here before Ontario Superior Court Judge Thomas Heeney and a jury has finally shifted onto the man chewing ice in the prisoner’s box.

Michael Rafferty is seen on a surveillance tape from a Woodstock bank taking out cash just after 11 a.m. April 8, 2009. A jury in his first-degree murder trial heard testimony he arranged to buy drugs later that day in Guelph.

Metcalfe also said there was a car’s back seat in the same area of the side road for a while. She mentioned it to police since she had heard they were searching for Rafferty’s back seat, but by May 30 it was no longer there. She then told the officer about the shoes and he asked her to describe them, Metcalfe said.
“I said, ‘Well, I think I can do one better than that,’” Metcalfe testified Wednesday. “’I have the shoes in the house. Would you like to see them?”

The counsellor apprised police, and the next day Ms. McClintic was brought to the Waterloo police station, where she repeated this new version of events to Det.-Sgt. Smyth.

Asked why she was speaking up now, she told him that it was because she didn't want to testify at Mr. Rafferty's upcoming trial.

Why not, Det.-Sgt. Smyth asked, adding that whether she wanted to testify in court or not, she would have to do so. Ms. McClintic replied that Mr. Rafferty was not guilty of murder and should not be imprisoned for something he did not do.

It was the quick thinking of a lone veteran police detective working on a hunch that resulted in the discovery of Ontario schoolgirl Victoria (Tori) Stafford’s remains more than three months after she disappeared, the murder trial of Michael Rafferty heard Friday.

The jury will be using this guidebook to survey the area where Tori Stafford`s remains were found. They were instructed not to talk with each other as they walk about on the self-guided tour of the area.

Christie Blatchford: A sketch and a hunch led Jim Smyth to find Tori Stafford’s body

But by July that year, though Det.-Sgt. Smyth had been seconded to the Tori task force for three months, he was involved in another investigation when he learned that as a result of a search warrant executed on Mr. Rafferty’s cellphone, records appeared to show the phone had been used near Mt. Forest on the very day Tori vanished.

The town was just a little north of the vast area of southwestern Ontario that police had already searched; McClintic had run out of landmarks she recognized, and that was where the northern boundary of the search was established.

MR entering store to use ATM, MR's bank statement and BA. Also RS being interviewed.

http://www.ctvlondon.ca/tag/barbara-armstrong/

matou

04-03-2012, 06:29 PM

Tori Stafford's Mother Cries As Jury Views Graphic Autopsy Photos

Tori Stafford's father rushed from the courtroom Tuesday as images were shown of the eight-year-old's barely recognizable remains, clothed only in a hooded Hannah Montana T-shirt emblazoned with sparkles and the words ``a girl can dream.''
The slide show detailing the girl's autopsy was shown in court as part of testimony at the trial of Michael Rafferty.
Tori's mother, Tara McDonald, cried while the photos were on courtroom screens while her father, Rodney Stafford, left the room

8. S. Hodge - 31, C&Y worker MR met on POF April 14/09, saw each other every day for two and a half weeks. Said he was a dance instructor. She mostly drove them around, MR on phone setting up dance appointments. MR told her he took oxy, he thought he had colon cancer. MR spoke to her about people abducting children raising them as their own. Obsessed with Tori's case listening to news and reading newspaper.

9. T. Moore aka Tam Tam, met MR on Yahoo 2003. She said MR bought car in 2007 from used car lot in TO. Noticed May 9/09 back seat and rear carpet missing from MR's car.

10. M. LaBute, MR met her at her workplace Staples March 2009 to Unknown saying he was new in town. She told MR she wasn't interested, described MR as nervous and needy. Spent a lot of time on phone keeping track of his workers claiming to own contracting business.

11. A Reid, 25 In spring of 2009 to early May 2009 she lived in London, near Fanshawe College. Met Rafferty on POF. Rafferty asked her to go to a stag and doe with him near the Hamilton area. She accepted. This was in early May.

12. S. Latimer is 50 year old real estate agent who lives on farm outside Woodstock, mother of six. Met Rafferty in Jan 2009 on POF.

13. M. Wagler 30, works at UofW met Rafferty January 2009 on POF. Rafferty's post said he was looking for romance. On Good Friday (April 10th) in 2009, he asked her to go for breakfast in London. She declined.

14. A. M. Chambers is 33 and lives in Woodstock. Met of POF. March 2009 to Unknown Date mother of two (boy and girl). Chambers knew Tori Stafford, at one point her family lived around block and Tori played with her daughter (age 16). Chambers said they started communication near end of March 2009 they went out for coffee, went bowling, he came over to house. Chambers said she had sex with Rafferty once. They got along well. JMO (Latole's opinion) I think she is the Amanda who he stated to police was friends with TM. Here is another OMG moment ... Chambers said #Rafferty told her he had a step-son named Jaden who had died 2 wks before they met. She said that pulled on her heartstrings.

15. No name (#2) - The next witness is a 28 year old woman who met Michael Rafferty online thru POF (as Mychol) at the end of March 2009. The woman texted frequently and they met for coffee on a Friday near end of April, Rafferty claimed he was teaching dance class in Kitchener. They exchanged cell phone numbers. Communicated by text message. The woman said there was little info on Rafferty's POF post - said he "wasn't into games" that caught her interest. Rafferty told her he was a contractor and dance teacher and wanted to travel. The woman said Rafferty showed up at her workplace at one point. She was asked to go to the Stag and Doe, but said no, as she wasn't feeling well. Said it seemed weird to ask her. He seemed upset. She worked at Staples. He came into the store to say hi, brought a coffee. He asked why she wasn't more excited to see him. She was busy.

16. S. Cooney - age 29, and lived in Kitchener in 2009. She also met Rafferty on POF. Cooney said Rafferty told her he was a contractor and ballroom dance teacher. She talked to him by phone first on April 12th, 2009. Cooney said Rafferty told her he was involved in search for Tori and was concerned. Said he was driving a woman to police for questioning. Rafferty discussed his family, said he didn't get along with his brother, had a bad childhood. She spent two hours with Rafferty, said she "wanted the date to be over". Had different views and values. He asked for 2nd date and she declined.

17. Rachel Diwell - 23, 2005 to December 2007 Diwell was 17 in 2005 and lived with her boyfriend when she first met Rafferty. Says they became inseparable. Friendship blossomed to more. Diwell said Rafferty lived in Guelph, has worked in landscaping, meat processing plant - aspired to be dance instructor but was unemployed. He showed her where he grew up. A farm house outside of Kitchener. They "drove around a lot". They would sometimes get out of the car and "become intimate." He drove. She only had a G1. Rafferty always seemed to know where he was going in the Guelph/Fergus area, she says. They took backroads. Rafferty washed his car regularly. She would help. They went to self serve car washes in Guelph, Kitchener and Cambridge. Rafferty told her he had back problems. They picked up percocets regularly (2005-2007). Diwell said she stopped seeing Rafferty around Dec. 2007.

18.J. Meloche, 29 and a native of Windsor who moved to London. She met MR on April,12/09 through POF. Meloche agreed to meet MR the next day, Easter Monday. They met at her home for a couple of hours.
MR claimed he was dance instructor and contractor said he had plans with other woman that had fallen through. Went out on a couple of dates including one in Oakville - they met frequently became a couple. MR was vague about where he lived and his history but she agreed to be his girlfriend saw him almost every day. Meloche said MR's 2003 Honda Civic was in bad shape. She said Goodlife gym bag and spare clothes in the back seat. Usually used her car but when they used MR's it was a "mess" they once cleaned out car in late April. Empty pill bottles in the back with no labels no back seat MR said he was putting in speakers. MR claimed to have purchased a house in Woodstock for his ailing mother. MR did have some pills that he said he used to treat "anxiety". He used the Blackberry constantly texting. She was suspicious. He said he was setting up appointments. MR sometimes talked about a friend in detention who was being targeted in Stafford investigation. Teenager was a friend in the family and he was helping her out. On weekend of May 15 Meloche said she was planning to visit family in Windsor. Rafferty said he was going to the States. Meloche heard from MR on evening of May 15th, said cops questioned him because he knew Terri- Lynne. Meloche said Rafferty came over after police questioning, seemed "fine - not stressed out". Rafferty stayed over at Meloche's home. He talked about renting a car for the weekend. On the 16th they went to Cora's for breakfast MR was trying to transfer contacts from Blackberry. They went to Bell store-Masonville. Meloche went to Windsor on weekend MR came over on 18th after she came back. Meloche could not get a hold of MR on the 19th found out later he had been arrested, He left a red suitcase in her home which she turned over to LE.

19.C. Harnum, 27 Hamilton resident who lived in Guelph in 2009. Harnum said she had known MR for about six years in 2009. Met him on a bus and became his girlfriend for a while. By 2009 they were only communicating on the Internet. Harnum said in Spring 2009 she talked to MR on MSN and FB. Harnum said MR posted his name as Mychol on MSN with a profile photo. Harnum said MR posted "Where are my old friends?" on FB in early April Harnum said on April 8 MR posted "Good Things are comming my way" on his FB.

20.E. Haida met MR through POF. Text messages were about getting together April 9/09. Stopped at MR's house, hung out, watched TV, had sex and left. Next time saw MR on April 26 to get CD from him.

21.P. Demidas Met MR through POF. Met Rafferty April 4, 2009. Met at coffee shop at 5 p.m. Rafferty said he was just back from Australia, that he was a dance instructor. Met with him April 5 and 6. Intimate with MR prior to April 8, 2009. Argued in text messages with MR. Met at coffee place London, decided didn't want to see him again.

22.C. Horvath 21, got to know MR in spring 2009 through Zoosk on FB. Feb. 17, 2009 talked to MR on phone about five times. Also sent text messages. Ended April 8, 2009.

23.T. MacLelland is 30. Lived in London in 2009. Met MR through online dating website POF. Exchanged phone numbers March 2009. Met April 1, 2009. Went for coffee after hanging out in room. MR's car described as messy. Looked like he was doing a lot of repairs on it. Communicated with MR on MSN. Noticed MR said he was searching for little girl on his MSN status. MR upset with email she sent. During week of exams after April 8 received message MR and thought something was wrong. Last communication in April.

24.C. Spitzig, 26, mother of five. Knew Rafferty through POF. Hoping for family, marriage. Communicated with MR through BBM. Spitzig said she thought she had an exclusive relationship. She got into escort business per MR's suggestion, their agreement, money deposited to Rafferty's account. She understood Rafferty was taking dance instruction. Total of $16,835 deposited by her to bank account of MR. Also cash handed over. MR drew to her attention the disappearance of Tori Stafford, said he wanted to be involved in search for her.

To be continued?

swedie

04-23-2012, 06:21 PM

I have compiled all the cross examinations to date by D. Derstine in MR's trial, for anyone interested in seeing the defense's questioning of witnesses. All my information was taken from LFP tweets accompanied by my editing. HTH

Derstine only asks one question in cross of Det. R. Brocanier. Do you have any special expertise in examining videos? Det. R. Brocanier says no.

Perry witness waiting for her children at the top of the hill. Derstine asks if there was any interaction between woman in white coat and Tori, she says no. Perry said she was concerned about the white coat woman, "She was different. She was someone I never saw at the school".

Tara Tori's mother. Dirk Derstine asks why moved her kids farther away from school. Tara said her son was supposed to walk Tori home from school. Tara said it was Tori's first time walking back from school to her new house. Tara said she went looking for Tori around 4:30 p.m. after Goris returned from cashing the GST rebate cheque. Tara said she talked to Tori about not talking to strangers. Cross-examination of Tori's mom is over.

Cross examination of TLM. Defence lawyer playing Necro song. Lyrics- "When it comes to inflicting pain I am creative." More Necro lyrics - " I got a garbage bag with your name written on it." Another Necro song "Dead body disposal" played for jury. McClintic said she wasn't listening to song when she walked up to school day Tori Stafford abducted. McClintic said she listened to Necro when she was angry. Next song to be played "No remorse." Lawyer Dirk Derstine questioning McClintic on instructions she was given by Rafferty on what to say after Tori's death. Derstine suggests McClintic had ample opportunity to walk away with Tori after the abduction. "In my mind I was not going to let anything bad happen. I thought I would protect her." McClintic questioned about buying hammer and garbage bags at Home Depot. McClintic continues to maintain she did not know Tori before her abduction. Derstine tells McClintic it was her idea alone to buy hammer and garbage bags. "You are mistaken," she replied. Derstine suggests that McClintic offered Tori to Rafferty and he rejected the offer. McClintic says she strongly disagrees. Derstine suggests Rafferty wasn't present for the killing and was horrified when he saw what happened. McClintic says that is wrong. McClintic questioned about script written by her on what she would say if questioned by police. She maintains the script was from Rafferty, not her ideas. McClintic referred to police interview where she said the script was her ideas. Said that was wrong. Explaining conflicting versions, a number of times McClintic has said she can't explain how her mind works. McClintic being questioned about entries in her journal in April 2009. In journal she writes she is ready to snap. Lots of profanity. "I am getting f----- blood thirsty again." McClintic says she was struggling with emotional issues at time. Derstine asks McClintic about altercation she had with another inmate on Jan. 31 of this year. Agreed she kicked and stomped other inmate who was on the ground in a fetal position. Remembers telling Godmother that her only regret was the killing involved a young kid. Otherwise could do it again. Also told godmother during visit that she had microwaved one of her pet dogs as a kid. Concocted story at time to cover it. "I was a child. I didn't know what I was doing," McClintic said. McClintic excused as a witness, ending her testimony in the trial.

B. Armstrong. Derstine asks how much they chatted when she sold him the Percocets. She said nothing unusual that day.

Det. Scoyne. Derstine suggests that jerky video may make people seem to be walking faster than they are. Questioned about diagram of scene where remains found. Scoyne questioned about size of rock pile, location of fences by defense lawyer Dirk Derstine. Topography of area around rock pile discussed, sight lines. Scoyne questioned about the visibility of silos from the rock pile area. Scoyne shown diagram that Terri-Lynne McClintic made to help police find remains of Tori Stafford. Asked again about what silos could be seen from the crime scene.

Dr. Michael Pollanen. Pollanen agrees very substantial force was applied to the head. Blunt force can cause bleeding, he said. Pollanen agrees bleeding can occur after death in some cases. "I can't determine the volume of blood that was lost in this case." Injuries to head would have caused death by selves, nothing could have saved her from the head injuries, Pollanen agrees. Pollanen repeats that the medical evidence is silent on whether there was a sexual assault. Pollanen agrees medical evidence also silent on who inflicted injuries on Tori Stafford.

Stirling is an OPP sergeant and ERT coordinator. Derstine asking about topographical map of crime scene. Derstine and Stirling disagreeing how steep the walk would be from the stone pile east to a tree line. Stirling says it would not be a steep grade.

Butler is an identification constable; talking about the process of admitting prisoners into Woodstock police station. Butler participated in 'drive-along tours' with Terri-Lynne McClintic. Derstine lists 15 public schools; Butler done on the stand.

Scoyne; Dirk Derstine starts questioning letters read in court yesterday found in McClintic's home. Derstine asking about gang slang found in letters; now showing an image from McClintic's facebook page. Derstine asking Scoyne about the music McClintic says she likes on her facebook page; Derstine asks about untitled songs on iPod. Derstine wants to know the top 10 most frequently played song on the iPod; #1 "Baby Bash" by Sean Kingston... #2 is a Necro song. Court sees lyric sheet and is hearing the song "Your ****in' Head Split" by Necro. Derstine now playing the song "Most Sadistic" by Necro. Derstine confirms these songs are highly played on McClintic's iPod and ends cross-examination.

Scoyne back on stand. Derstine says there is no dispute that this Civic belonged to Rafferty. Derstine begins by asking Scoyne how longer the hammer was in the trunk of Rafferty's car. Scoyne says no way of telling. Now Derstine calls up surveillance photo of Raffety's car previously submitted of evidence; he observers that the white dash is visible.

Crown is reading point of admission into record having to do with an exchange between officers and Rafferty night of arrest. Rafferty asked officers for drugs and said he takes Oxy and Percocet; Rafferty rolls eyes during admission.

Barbara Doupe is an expert in examining hair and textile evidence. Doupe is a Western grad and lectured at Brescia. Derstine asks McLean if it is likely that DNA would be found on objects that people routinely handle. McLean agrees with Derstine that DNA can be indirectly transferred from one object to another McLean agrees with Derstine that only a small amount of blood is needed to generate DNA. Court is shown blood stain on door moulding near rear passenger seat in Rafferty's car. Derstine said there was sperm fraction in the blood spot but it does not mean it came from semen, McLean agrees. McLean tells Derstine there are technical problems in determining whether male DNA found in some samples is actually from semen. Court is shown photo of Goodlife Fitness bag. Derstine asks about size of the blood stain McLean said it is "a fraction of millimetre". There were several sources of DNA in the blood stain McLean said blood was one source but there could have been other sources. Derstine presents McLean with different scenarios for mixed DNA sample. Derstine suggests different scenario for DNA deposits on gym bag, all three at once, one at a time two plus one etc. McLean agrees there are more than a dozen ways that DNA from three people could have ended up in one deposit. Derstine asks McLean about washing the "Shaq" shoes - how much washing would eliminate DNA? Derstine asks if soap and water washing would eliminate DNA from shoes? McLean agrees it could. Derstine asked about blond hairs on pea coat. McLean repeats that Stafford was excluded from one of the hairs from coat that was tested. Derstine shifts focus to attempts to get DNA from Tori's body, McLean agrees that decomposition makes it difficult. Derstine wraps up cross examination of McLean.

Griswold MR’s neighbour said he saw a ripped car seat in the garbage pile in front of Rafferty's house There was a love seat on top. Derstine asks Griswold if he saw Rafferty remove the car seat late in March to install speakers. Derstine asks Griswold if he saw Rafferty put the car seat in the shed, Griswold says no.

A woman who met Rafferty online in 2003 "We became good friends" began to lose contact when he moved to Woodstock in 2008. The woman said Rafferty spoke about abducting kids - the kids grow up thinking the abductors are their real parents. Derstine asks the woman if she took oxycodone. She says no but is familiar with the drug.

Latimer is 50 year old real estate agent who lives on farm outside Woodstock. Met Rafferty in Jan 2009 on Plenty of Fish. Derstine starts cross - asks about Rafferty's MSN sign in, "I thought I had it all but all is lost". Derstine asks Latimer about her later own MSN posting on Latimer's sign in.

Chambers met Rafferty on Plenty of Fish .She said he seemed friendly in conversation. He asks Chambers about reaction in Woodstock to Tori's disappearance. Chamber said it was major.

Cruikshank is the owner of Outdoor Services, a landscaping company based on Hwy 6 just north of Guelph. Cruikshank employed Rafferty from 2003 to 2005 as landscaper and snow shoveling. Rafferty worked with a team, licence suspended at time. Derstine ask about trucks that Cruickshank's firm used. Derstine asks about number of employees. Cruikshank says 12.

A. Woods - Derstine asks about farmland north of Woodstock for some reason. Woods said there is a lot of farmland north of Woodstock .

Waechter was assigned on to Stafford case on April 15. Investigated phone calls made by Rafferty on May 11. Waechter said Rafferty phone calls included two calls to Corey's auto wreckers on May 11. He asks if there was any indication why Rafferty was at Coreys, Waechter says no.

Meloche is 29. She met Rafferty on April 12 2009 through Plenty of Fish. Derstine asks Meloche if she ever saw a back seat in Rafferty's car she says no. Derstine asks about tools in the trunk of Raffety' s car Meloche said she saw them in late April .

C. Harnum. Derstine's cross of Harnum - He asked how often she checked Rafferty's Facebook page, she says often.

Waldron computer forensic back on stand Derstine asks about tagging on Facebook. Asked by Derstine Waldron said Terri-Lynne McClintic was not one of Rafferty's Facebook friends. Derstine asks if Rafferty was looking at Alexis Lane profile when he wrote "Everything good coming my way". Waldron can't confirm if he was looking at the profile when he was posting. Derstine asks if Facebook can be asked from anywhere that has Internet connection Waldron says yes. Derstine asks about signing on to setting from someone else's account Waldron says it depends on privacy settings. Derstine asks about accuracy of profiles on Plenty of Fish Waldron says its "buyer beware". Court is seeing a portion of Terri-Lynne McClintics Facebook page Derstine is asking about bottom portions being cropped off screen. Derstine is asking Waldron why she picked particular items on McClintic's website. Derstine asks if people would post quizzes on their Facebook page if they like the result - Waldron agrees. Derstine asks about favorite music posted on McClintic Facebook profile. Derstine points out songs by Necro on McClintic site.

Broad is a senior manager in information and digital forensics for Bell Canada Enterprises. Derstine is questioning a data call on Rafferty's phone record that appears to go on for 17 hours. Derstine is question a data call at 4:18 p.m. on April 8 that appears to go on for 44 minutes another just after 5 p.m. goes for two hours. Derstine points out that the two long data calls were almost consecutive Broad said that voice calls could still have been received. Derstine asks if a phone has be turned on to receive a data call. Broad agrees. Derstine ask about the tracking of data calls from point where call placed. Suggests not good for tracking long calls after call placed.

Mustafa Bakhtyar a radio frequency engineer. Derstine begins cross. He asks if we should be careful about pinning down the location where a cellphone call was made. Bahktyar agrees. Derstine suggests it is difficult to pin down an exact location because of all the variables Bahktyar agrees. Bahktyar said it is difficult to determine why a cell signal bounced off particular tower and not another. Derstine points out that the cellphone calls are logged from the point when the call is started and not good for tracing movements after. Derstine asks if it is possible there were malfunctions in the cell network on April 8, 2009 Bahktyar said the system was "working fine".

Youngs is a RIM employee from Waterloo She is a public safety liaison specialist. Derstine asks how BBMs different from texts.

Wilton is an RIM employees with an expertise in service maintenance for the network. Derstine suggests that MSN messages can get held up for various reasons Wilton agrees. He questions why the delivery times for BBMs tends to vary. Wilton said the messages should arrive within 4-5 seconds. Derstine suggests there are variables such as speed of carrier network. Wilton comments on list of Rafferty's MSN messages which indicates that some messages around 6:35 pm got held up and almost same time. Derstine suggests that MSN messages can get held up for various reasons Wilton agrees. Derstine suggest there was disruption in Rafferty's Blackberry around 16:35 on April 8th with various possible explanations.

Spitzig is 26, mother of 5. Defence asks about back seat of car. Charity said late in March 2009 there was no back seat in Rafferty's car.

Elysa Haye. She says she was sure she had sex with Rafferty on April 9. Derstine refers her to police statement where she said it might have been the 9th or 10th. Haid looking at calendar again says she had sex with Rafferty on the ninth, not 10th. Statement to police was either April 9 or 10th was at Rafferty's place in early afternoon.
__________________

matou

04-24-2012, 02:42 PM

http://www.1047.ca/local-news/michael-rafferty-trial

Remembering Tori Posted less than an hour ago by Blair R. Wilson

http://www.1047.ca/assets/images/Remebering%20Tori%201%281%29.jpgMore than 3 years following the disappearance and untimely passing of 8 year old Tori Stafford, memories of the little girl continue to flourish in her favourite color.

Purple wristbands were handed out this morning by Tori’s Uncle Robert Stafford to members of the media at London’s courthouse prior to legal arguments between the defense and the Crown at the first degree murder trial of Michael Rafferty.

Wristbands were also handed to some members of the courts.

The wristbands, a collaborative effort provided by Tori’s Aunt and Uncle who flew out from Alberta over the weekend, along with Tori’s Grandmother Doreen, illustrate Tori’s birth date and the date Tori was lured away from her public school – April 8, 2009.
http://www.1047.ca/assets/images/Remebering%20Tori%202%281%29.jpg
A small graphic of a ribbon and a butterfly are also embedded on the purple wristbands – one of Tori’s favourite creatures of nature.

An inscription was also placed on the wristbands where one Reporter gratefully accepted it, smiled and said quietly to the Stafford family "thank you, I will keep this forever”.

The first degree murder trial will resume Wednesday morning at 10 am.

matou

04-24-2012, 05:21 PM

MR signed in at an auto wreckers.

Waechter says the records show Rafferty called the yard the morning of May 11th, 2009. He says the calls "were of interest to us because...the accused's automobile was missing a backseat."

The mother boiled down the years of raising Michael Rafferty into a few short but firm statements about her son.
"He's not guilty and it hurts like hell. It hurts," Deborah Murphy said outside court Monday.
" . . . My son's innocent. And this could happen to any man that's walking around right now. Terri-Lynne McClintic has wrecked our lives and I just hope that justice is served and that he's freed."
http://www.lfpress.com/news/london/raffertytrial/2012/05/07/19729191.html

matou

05-08-2012, 07:19 PM

Rafferty was driving force in Stafford killing, trial hears

It is irrelevant who actually wielded the hammer that killed eight-year-old Victoria (Tori) Stafford three years ago, the murder trial of Michael Rafferty was told Tuesday.
“Michael Rafferty and Terri-Lynne McClintic were in this together, together they did this to Tori Stafford, and together they are guilty,” Crown attorney Kevin Gowdey told the jury in his closing address.

Behind him, hidden under a coat and lying on the floor of the vehicle, as it turns out uncomfortably upon some of Mr. Rafferty’s empty water bottles — he drinks water compulsively and is surely the best-hydrated accused killer in Canada — was the little girl.
“We sat in silence,” Mr. Gowdey remembered.
“Tori Stafford sat in that car for those eight-and-a-half minutes,” he said, the inference clear how much longer they must have seemed to her.

In the Rafferty trial, Heeney left out, forced out, a slew of evidence that became public knowledge only after the jury retired to deliberate, rulings of admissibility made largely in pre-trial arguments but also after proceedings got underway in the London courthouse, with the jury sent out of the room. Crucially, jurors never learned of material retrieved from Rafferty’s laptop computer showing that he’d done Google searches on such topics as “underage rape,” that he had an unhealthy interest in child pornography and bestiality, that he’d trolled necrophilia websites, that he’d downloaded movies about child kidnapping and child sex killing as recently as 12 days before Tori’s abduction.

CP24- Verdict means healing can begin, Woodstock mayor says
http://www.cp24.com/servlet/an/local/CTV...
CP24 - Canadian television's online home for news about Toronto and the GTA

..robynhood

matou

05-16-2012, 07:27 AM

Incredible article. Must Read.

Why Tori will always matter By RANDY RICHMOND, The London Free Press

A few nights ago, almost in tears, my wife said to me:
"So this is it? Once the trial is over we're all supposed to just forget about Tori? When it's all over, she's really gone and no one remembers her again?"
The first answer I gave to my wife is one I believe to be true.
"I think people will remember her."
The second thing I said is something I know to be true.
"I'm going to miss her."

Nine of the jurors who convicted Rafferty of murder, as well as several police officers, attended court to listen to the victim impact statements from eight of Tori's family.
The officers included OPP Det. Staff Sgt. Jim Smyth, who vowed during a tense police interrogation of Rafferty May 20, 2009 to watch when Rafferty was sent from court to a life in prison.

Prison cell available for Rafferty after complaints from Bernardo and Williams about loud singing and defecating on himself lead to police officer convicted of murder being moved: http://m.torontosun.com/2012/05/15/wills-kingston-cell-empty-ready-for-rafferty

"In 2005, a Star reporter walked through the sliding steel gate that guards the home of Paul Bernardo and other notorious Canadian killers. Read the story from inside Kingston Penitentiary, which was originally published by the Toronto Star on June 21, 2005."

The man who kidnapped, raped and killed eight-year-old Victoria “Tori” Stafford was recently moved from maximum-security Kingston Penitentiary to the maximum-security Port-Cartier Institution about 800 km northeast of Montreal, relatives of the girl said.

“I don’t care where he is, as long he’s behind bars and not receiving any privileges,” Tori’s mother, Tara McDonald, said Friday.

Williams and Bernardo were moved from Kingston to Port-Cartier in the winter, sources told QMI Agency in February.